


Sting of the Blade

by shini_amaryllis



Series: The Tales of Andy Jackson-Black [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Family, Fear of Cupid, Memory Loss, Past Lives, Past Torture, Quests, Reconciliation, Sibling Love, Thrown into Hell, Unknown Traitor, the golden fleece
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-18
Updated: 2015-10-04
Packaged: 2018-03-08 03:05:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 76,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3192923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shini_amaryllis/pseuds/shini_amaryllis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tartarus was the one place Andy Jackson had never wanted to go, and being with Jason Grace just added insult to injury. She could have picked a dozen other demigods she'd rather be in hell with, but the Fates hated her it seemed. And even worse? They were being attacked on all sides with no end in sight. Jupiter spare her...and maybe him. Sequel to Daughter of Rome</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Painting a Picture

Rachel Elizabeth Dare –affectionately called Red- would have painted her on a battlefield with cuts lining her face and the wind tangling her hair with a bloody sword in hand and that fierce expression on her face ever-present. Though, she knew the life Andromeda Jackson-Black –who she affectionately called AJ- lived was a harsh one, she could not help but be drawn to the child.

They were both young when they first met. Andromeda's hair was longer and her features less defined, but the nobility in her blood sang for recognition and the emerald fire blazing in her eyes demanded attention. Rachel wasn't sure how they had first started talking, but she was sure it had begun after Andromeda complimented one of her sketches. She remembered it clearly; it was the one that depicted a deadly-looking hound that had her parents so concerned that they had hired a psychologist.

Andromeda had said that she must be very special to have drawn a nightmare beast so accurately.

The compliment had stunned her. Never before had anyone complimented her so honestly, despite the ugliness of the picture.

Her smile had been rueful as Rachel told her that.

"All things are ugly at first glance," was her only response to that. And then every day she would appear, bending through reality to sit beside her and speak of nonsense things. She'd listen patiently as Rachel would complain about how lucrative her father's business was, how much she wished her mother wasn't so tied to her job, how she sometimes wished she could take her wand and shove it in some not too polite places.

And then Rachel would listen as Andromeda would speak of how she was kidnapped as an infant and was raised in Britain by a pure-blood witch with dark ideals, of how she wished she could be with her brother and mother, how she wished that her father appreciated her more.

It made Rachel feel guilty complaining about her own problems, but Andromeda just laughed it off. Rachel noted that her laugh was strangely bark-like, not at all like a pure-blood princess' should (though it suited her much better).

So, Rachel had believed her in an instant when she had said those fated words: "The Gods are real."

She had told her a tale, of how the gods of Olympus descended to have children with mortals, and how those children were half-god and half-mortal, demigods. She spun their tales with a fluid tongue, telling her of Daedalus, son of Athena, of Helen of Troy, daughter of Zeus, and of Orpheus, son of Calliope. She told of how children of gods still lived and were still killed for being of godly blood.

With a flourish she had admitted to being one, along with her brother.

When Rachel had asked whose child she was, she hadn't really been surprised when Andromeda had said "Neptune."

She had smiled forlornly. "Father hates having girls."

That automatically put the God of the Seas in Rachel's bad books.

And then one day Rachel had to blink a couple of times when she looked at her, because her presence was so  _bright_! Her smile had been even more blinding.

A goddess. Her best friend was a goddess. It made Rachel just a little sad to imagine herself growing old, but Andromeda would be the same, always and forever young. She wondered, spitefully, if she had even considered that when she accepted the immortality, but Andromeda often did things without thinking of the consequences so Rachel couldn't hate her for it.

She remembered distinctly, in contrast, when she met Andromeda's nephew. He was sweet and adorable with eyes the exact shade of green that Andromeda's were, but at the same time, not, because hers were filled with warring emotions and his were wide and innocent. His smile was infectious and he would always greet his young aunt with a hug.

Rachel had almost cried when he called her 'Aunt Rachel'.

Rachel had watched her from the distance when she walked down the street, her olive hand encased in a lighter tanned one as she talked about nonsense. Her brother, whom she could not reveal how closely they truly were related, was remarkably like her. She could see it in the way his eyes crinkled at the corners and how his lips would curl into the smirk that Andromeda was so fond of. He was cute,  _really_  cute; she wouldn't mind painting him.

Andromeda was a dangerous person to be friends with, though, even if she was powerful and steadfastly loyal.  _The monsters_ , she had said,  _are highly attracted to the scent of a child of the Big Three._  Her eyes had grown sorrowful at that.  _Like Thalia._

Andromeda didn't talk much about Thalia, daughter of Zeus, but Rachel gathered that she was someone that Andromeda looked up to (a rarity). She didn't talk much about Winter, her friend, either after the summer of 2006, but Rachel knew that her death had visibly shaken the collected girl.

Rachel felt so helpless that she couldn't help but curse her mortality. Why did AJ have to face all this alone? Why couldn't she be there, by her side, to help her through?

Why…

Why…

At the same time, Rachel was sure that she didn't want the baggage of Andromeda's life, because that baggage could kill.

"Demigods live such short lives…I am glad I met you, Rachel Elizabeth Dare."

Her smile had been carefree when she'd said that, but Rachel could still see the shadows that lurked beneath the surface. She was the only one who bothered to look beneath the skin, beneath the white and blue spun hair, beneath the scars and tattoos (the tattoos being few in number), beneath the annoyance and ferocity that she wore like a shield.

Because beneath all that she could see the heroine that so longed to be acknowledged.

* * *

Being a demigod wasn't necessarily a bad thing –it meant you had an explanation to every problem, or someone to blame-, but it wasn't really a good thing either, which was why Andy Jackson found herself up to her elbows in monsters not ten minutes until class ended. The irritation never ended.

"Hey, Ugly!"

Rachel resisted a groan as Andromeda tossed the insult at the Dementor –a bastard creation of Hades, AJ had said- holding her broken shield before her offensively. Carmella wasn't so restrained; her groan was loud for all to hear.

"You're impossible," she told her friend, her annoyance creeping into her voice.

The two girls looked a bit worse for wear; Carmella's hair was falling from its braid and Rachel was sure her shoulder was dislocated, and Andromeda's skin was littered with scratches.

"How else am I supposed to live my life?" Andromeda asked in amusement, tossing her bent knife to the side as she drew the deadly Harpe, the blade that Perseus had used to decapitate Medusa. Harpe had changed since the first time Rachel had seen it, gone was the green-glowing pearl that had once been connected to the edge of the hilt, and even the blade itself had converted. The metal was welded in a cross between the Greek and Roman style and the hilt had shifted to a simple hold. It seemed more war-like.

Rachel wasn't sure if it suited her or no-

"Red!  _Duck_!"

Instinctively, Rachel flattened herself on the floor, gripping her wand tightly, the chills returning as the Dementor hovered over her. Fortunately, its attention redirected briefly when Andromeda's ruined shield slammed into its head. Now for the bad news: it tossed that shield as Carmella, causing her to fly gracelessly through the air to slam into the wall and crumple into a heap. Rachel paled, hoping she was only unconscious, and she barely had enough time to yell out a warning to her best friend.

"To your right!"

Andromeda swung Harpe with careful precision, burying it from the hilt down into the Dementor, causing it to erupt into golden dust.

"Thanks, Red!" she called over to her older friend who was attempting to revive Carmella where she had been tossed only moments ago.

"Now all we have to do is fix the cafeteria and maybe we all won't get detention," she muttered under her breath, grimacing at the demolition that surrounded them. She scratched her cheek, a bit unconcerned. "Hey, Red, that spell was  _Reparo,_  right?"

Rachel shook her head in amusement as the bell rang dismissing school and Andromeda ran off again.

The red-head shifted her eyes to a disoriented Carmella. "Do you know why she looks so out of it these last few days?"

Carmella's strange violet eyes blinked at the slightly older girl, before they lit with concern. "Oh, someone's just trying to challenge her title, that's all."

"Title?" Rachel asked blankly. "What title?"

Carmella flinched slightly. "Trust me, there are some things you're better off not knowing about."

Andy had left class almost immediately after school had let out because it was the day that Harry was coming home, and Andy had wanted to finish her homework before her adorable nephew returned so they could have the whole weekend together. Then, she'd gotten a call.

The great thing about being a descendent of Hecate, or even Trivia (depending on who you were talking to) or knowing her children, was that you could have charmed phones. Percy and Andy had agreed to share one, since, even though the spell cast over it dulled the senses of monsters, having two phones owned by two demigods living under the same roof was just asking for trouble.

The call had come from one of Percy's best friends, Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena.

"Hello?" Andy hummed into the phone, tossing her keys into the sea-shell shaped tray by the door, looping her bag onto a nearby hook as she raked a hand through her wild white and blue locks.

"Andy?" The feverish whisper set off alarms in her head instantly. "How fast can you get over here? With silver? Lots of silver!"

"Lycanthropes?" Andy guessed swiftly. The descendents of Lycaon were always a menace to demigods, though they usually only focused on children of Rome. Andy couldn't fathom why they had suddenly changed pace, going after a Greek of all things. "On my way."

Annabeth hung up before she had a chance to and she quickly speed-dialed Marlene at camp. "Hey, Lena, how fast can you get a lot of silver to my place?"

"Faster than you can say " _Hurry the fuck up_ "," was her vulgar response (as expected of a daughter of war).

Andy couldn't help but grin at how Marlene never questioned the various odd things Andy asked of her. The girl was loyal to a tee, and that was why she was her first friend. The fire flared green not five minutes later as a red haired girl tumbled from the hearth, lugging a bulging backpack filled no doubt with silver.

"Lycanthropes?" she inquired with a raised eyebrow, tossing a pair of silver gauntlets to her friend, having already donned a pair herself. The gauntlets were a must-have when dealing with the Greek werewolves, as they had a tendency to go for the arm, typically when it was raised to protect the face.

"Annabeth," was all Andy needed to say for Marlene to nod seriously and open the door, motioning for them to get going. Andy glanced around to see if anyone was looking before gripping Marlene tightly around the waist and shooting upwards like a rocket, or a reverse comet.

"How far does Annabeth live?" Marlene screamed over the wind whistling past her.

"Pretty far!" Andy yelled back. "She'd have to take a taxi to get to my place!"

It was lucky that Andy could move so fast, then, as lycanthropes were known for being especially vicious. Marlene had to squint her eyes closed to protect them from the wind that whipped across her face as they finally descended into an abandoned warehouse a couple of streets from where anyone would be able to see them.

"How far are we from Annabeth?" Marlene enquired as she hefted a silver pilum in her hands, waiting patiently for Andy to strap her silver knife to her thigh and exchange Harpe for a silver blade that shimmered in the bright sunlight.

"No idea," Andy admitted sheepishly. "We should've grabbed Carme-"

A loud yell shattered through the silence, abruptly followed by the echoing barks of dogs.

Marlene arched an eyebrow. "Guess its Chase's lucky day."

It was not Annabeth's lucky day. The day had started off pretty good, mind you, but when she saw the lycanthropes, it pretty much went completely downhill after that. She considered herself lucky that they hadn't bitten her, though she now bore a number of scratches, some that stung a good deal.

She had given up all hope when they five fierce looking wolves cornered her, her bronze knife clutched in her hand, but useless, when a silver arrow shot through the air piercing the alpha's shoulder, lodging in the muscle.

The lupine monster gave a pained howl as two figures leapt down to stand protectively in front of Annabeth. Marlene, daughter of Area hadn't changed much in the last few months. Her bright hair was a little longer, her arms a bit more muscular, but only slightly a little taller. Compared to her friend, Andy was a stark contrast with a simple dark blue tank-top with an anchor, dark lines surrounding her eyes and the sheer amount of piercings in her ears.

The devilish smirk made her flash back to Thalia once more, making her chest hurt. It was only then that she realized that it had been Andy that had fired the shot and not Marlene, which was strange since she'd never seen Andy with a bow before in her entire life.

"Sorry we're late, Anna," Andy said in a careful sort of voice, her stormy eyes roving over the wolves, radiating a powerful aura that was a trick she had no doubt learned when she was briefly immortal, causing them to back away slightly, their ears flat against their heads. Except one.

The alpha, the injured alpha, bared his teeth menacingly, an aggressive growl leaving his teeth. "The cursed child of Neptune graces us with her presence."

Andy's lips twisted upwards into an eviler smirk, sending a shiver down Annabeth's spine (she was a little surprised by how stoic Marlene was, but then she'd known her longer). "That's right, I'm Neptune's hated child, but don't worry," she added snidely. "You won't live long enough to complain!"

Evidently, they'd come up with this plan beforehand, because Marlene hit her wrist, a shield flaring to life as she flung it before her and Annabeth, shielding them from palm-sized item that Andy had hurled towards the beasts. It exploded not several milliseconds after making contact with the head of the alpha. The force of the explosion almost knocked the shield from Marlene's grip but it was tight on the metal.

"That went well," Andy coughed as Marlene lowered her protection to snicker at her friend who was now caked from head to toe in gold monster dust.

"That's attractive."

"Shut up," Andy growled, running her fingers over her clothes, dislodging the gold dust that clung there.

"Mm," Marlene hummed in amusement, her eyes twinkling. "I bet Nico'd like it."

Annabeth was surprised when Andy's cheeks flushed a brilliant red. She'd never seen her quite so embarrassed.

"Shut up!" she snapped, her eyes flashing dangerously as she checked her watch. "Shit! I'm late!"

Her visage seemed to shatter before Annabeth who could only blink in surprise, but then Andy had so many mysteries about her.

"Who's Nico?" she asked Marlene who stiffened suddenly.

"Just an Italian boy she's caught the eye of," Marlene said evasively. "Don't tell anyone that name, Chase," she added in a threatening sort of way, "or a lot of us are going to end up dead."

So another enigma, then. Somehow, Annabeth wasn't too surprised.

* * *

It had been months since Percy's sister came stumbling back into his life more completely than she had ever been before, but people still didn't believe they were related. A great example of this was when school let out for the weekend and he saw her leaning against the front fence, pressing the buttons on her phone, a soft smile lighting her features. She looked like a million drachmae…or was that the remnants of golden monster dust that clung to her hair? She looked up from whoever she was texting (Percy felt immediately jealous that they could make her smile like that so easily when he had to work so hard for them) and gave him an even brighter smile (causing the jealous feelings to abate), waving enthusiastically.

"Up to trouble?" he asked mildly as he came to a stop beside her.

Andy grinned that sarcastic smirk that he always saw in the mirror. "You know me," she drawled, "I can't stay away from trouble for too long." She tilted her head back to smile up at Percy's only friend at school. "Hey, Tyson!"

"Hello!" The tall boy said enthusiastically. "Andy is pretty today."

She smiled, unfazed by his blunt manner. "Thank you, Tyson, you're not looking too bad yourself."

"Well, well, well," a snide voice commented barreling past Tyson to leer at Andy with eyes that had Percy gritting his teeth, "you can't be Jackson's girl!"

Andy narrowed her sharp eyes, taking in the school bully that caused her brother more than a little annoyance. His eyes were dark pits of blackness holding no warmth or emotion of any kind, framed by dark shaggy hair. Against her will she found herself mentally comparing her boy and this one. Nico di Angelo would always come out on top, so she wasn't sure why she bothered.

"If you mean by 'girl', sister, then yes," she said, shoving the phone into her pants as she did so, looping her blue messenger bag over her shoulder as she did so (Percy noticed the barest wince she gave at the movement). "But I do have a boyfriend, if that's what you're asking, but I really don't think that's any of your business."

And with that being said, she pulled her brother by the hand with one of her own while tightening the other around Tyson's forearm, dragging the pair away a bit forcibly.

She glanced between the pair once they had moved far enough away. "Tyson, do you mind if we hurry and get you home? There are some things I need to speak with my brother about."

Brown met green and understanding flickered between. Percy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, but kept his silence.

"No," Tyson said resolutely.

She grinned widely, squeezing his large hand. "You're a real sweetheart, Tyson."

Tyson blushed.

Percy raised an eyebrow at how much she was layering on, but she just waved him off, pressing a finger to her lips as she led them towards the underground. The trip was very silent, which wasn't really strange considering how little Andy liked to talk, but the tension almost hung in the air now.

They waved goodbye to Tyson, but it wasn't until they had reached the apartment –which was a bit nicer than what Percy was used to- that she finally spoke.

"Annabeth called me today," she admitted, twisting her key into the keyhole and opening the door with a snap, "she ran afoul of a couple lycanthropes."

Percy's eyes were distinctly startled at the mention of one of his best friends being attacked. Andy hid a smirk. He  _so_  liked her. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine," Andy assured him with a gentle smile, "Marlene and I got there just in time, exploded the wolves and sent them to Tartarus."

Percy's eyes lingered on her left side which she was favoring. "You got hurt didn't you?"

Andy smiled sweetly. "I'll be fine in a few hours, I just need to sleep it off, don't worry."

But Percy always worried where she was concerned.

Chunk!

Several hours later, Percy looked up at the muffled swear, glancing over to his sister who was rubbing her forehead -now a bright red- in annoyance.

Living with Andy –his baby sister (though she would likely kill him for that comment)- was still a bit surreal for him. He was so used to her just showing up out of the blue than sharing a room with her –unfortunately, as they couldn't really afford something bigger-, even an apartment was still a bit strange. Of course, she often vanished a great deal, but his mother assured him that there were some parts of Andy's life that he might never understand, and some things that should stay hidden. He didn't really understand what she meant by that, but he guessed it was from her time as an immortal. She must have learned a lot of godly secrets.

"You alright?" he asked cautiously, well aware by now of how short a fuse she had.

Andy's eyes flared dangerously, but the fire was extinguished just as quickly. She looked tired, like she hadn't had a good night of sleep in a very long time; it worried Percy.

"I'm fine," she said in a voice that didn't suit her at all. "It's nothing to worry about."

Percy got the distinct feeling that she wasn't talking about her head.

"Andy..."

"I can handle it!" she interrupted, her eyes glinting in the light. "No man is going to best me!"

Percy had no idea what she was talking about. "Are you fighting with someone?" he asked in confusion.

She sighed tiredly. "In a manner of speaking," she admitted. "Don't worry," she added, "I haven't lost the Electoral Battles in years; I've got this."

She stalked off to her room, leaving Percy more confused than when he first started out. If he listened hard he would have heard the distant sound of Italian flowing off her tongue, spun with English as she spoke into the speaker of her phone.

But Percy tried not to pry with her because she was almost as tight-lipped as she had been when they first met. He wanted her to be more open, but Andy took private to a whole new level and he was afraid of being cut off from her completely.

Later, after she reemerged from the room, she sat next to him on the couch, leaning her head exhaustively on his shoulder.

"I wish we grew up together," she confided in him, linking her fingers with his despite them being much too old to hold hands. She did that a lot, he noticed, when they were alone, and sometimes in public. He liked to think that she only does it with him, but he'd heard Marlene talk about "Andy's Italian", and he isn't stupid. His sister wasn't going to stay single forever, and the hints her friends dropped were obvious, and the blatant reference to her boyfriend left little doubt. He doubted she would care if he told her that twelve was a little young; Andy wasn't one for following rules of society. "I mean, from the start."

Percy leaned his cheek against her head, exhaling audibly. "I wish that too."

She smiled softly, it almost looked out of place on her features that were so often set in harsh stone, betraying no hint of the emotions beneath.

But the eyes, the eyes were a showcase of her feelings, all the ones unsaid.

"I love you, Perce," she whispered, her fingers tightening over his, before loosening as her awareness faded.

* * *

Being back in Camp Jupiter, being back in her armor was like waking up from a long dream. Camp Jupiter wasn't exactly home; home was where Percy was, where Mum was, and where Harry was. She could hear the Tiber River rushing in the distance and the sound of metal clashing against metal, and she couldn't relax, not now.

The Electoral Battles weren't very worrying, but there were a few members of her cohort that were a bit of…a hindrance. She wasn't looking forward to it, but she was looking forward to proving her worth, she was always up for that.

The Battles weren't due to start for another good twenty minutes, so Andy found herself standing before the Tiber River. It was still raging, unrestrained, as it always was, but it's presence was calming as the barrier between Camp Jupiter and California. She felt…lost.

Rome was her home, Greece was danger, yet here she was finding herself an enemy to Rome and a friend to Greece. Keeping the silence was her job, protecting the barrier between the two camps was her duty. She could cause war, or prevent it, Apollo had once said, but she did not desire such things. She glanced down, only slightly surprised to see the Mist had risen up from the ground to hover over her feet. She twirled a puff of white fog between her fingers, focusing hard enough that she incased it in ice. She held the fragile-looking rhombus in her hand, the opaque cloud-like substance swirling within the ice. She slipped it silently into her miniature messenger bag that was normally clipped to her belt loops.

"Your straps are mismatched."

Andy blinked, shifting her gaze towards Marlene and her slightly amused smile. Her crimson hair was hiked up on her head, blown from side to side by the wind. The daughter of Mars was trying not to laugh at her, but her eyes were dancing with humor.

"Come on, I'll help you."

She undid them and redid them in a matter of seconds, before she turned her now serious face to the demigoddess. "Are you worried?" she asked her.

"No," was Andy's automatic and truthful response. No one in Fourth Cohort had yet to match her, so she had no reason to worry, but- "I just don't like to be showcased like some animal."

Marlene nodded in understanding, though she had never partaken in the Trials herself, she understood why Andy had a deep distaste for them. "And there's Jason," she added.

Andy's face warped into an unpleasant frown or distaste. "Especially him," she grumbled. It was most unfortunate that Jason Grace had reached the age to become a Senator, now making them of the same status, despite that Andy had more experience than most in the camp (and she hardly ever stayed there).

"I wish Percy was here," she added, surprising Marlene. "I want to show him just how good I am."

"He knows," Marlene snorted. "Trust me."

Andy pursed her lips slightly but offered no refutation to those words.

"You'll do great," Marlene grinned in agreement, bumping her shoulder with her friends. "Trust me, no one can match that sword technique of yours, and if you hurry up, you can possibly make the picnic that your mother's got planned for you, Percy, and Harry.

"Picnic?" Andy asked in surprise.

"Surely you've had a picnic before?" Marlene rolled her eyes incredulously. "I bet Nico-"

"We talk mostly," Andy interrupted with her casual smirk. "Nothing like what you're suggesting."

Marlene grinned feral-like as the daughter of Neptune pranced away, her white-and-blue hair spiking in the wind as she went. Look out unfortunate souls of Fourth Cohort, Andy Jackson was ready to shake the earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately, I think the NicoxAndy romance will be in the background for now, because even though they're 'dating' now, they're really still just friends who are obviously sweet on each other at heart. This fanfic will be delving more into friendship and adventure. The romance will be more in the sequel after this one.


	2. Greatest Fears

The house was empty when she returned, but the note told her that Percy and her mum had gone to pick up Harry from the airport. She was a little upset that she'd missed them, but she was pretty tired from the Battles as it was. Numb was a better word for it, really, not that she would ever admit it.

Andy hummed a soft hymn that Apollo had once taught her to soothe the mind, allowing it to flow over her as she poured water into a kettle and heated it for tea (curse Walburga a thousand times for getting her so addicted to the drink). She caught a glimpse of her reflection in one of the clean pots in the right side of the sink, and she almost didn't recognize herself.

Generally, Senators only wore white togas as a symbol of their status, but once a demigod held the title for so long, they were permitted to color the fabric in however they chose, just as long as it was not the rich purple that signified praetorship. Andy's Roman friends had taken it upon themselves to make it themselves to color it a greenish-blue that shimmered like the underwater currents in the light. It was beautiful, and she had never looked more Roman. Regal, deadly, and remote; wonderful.

"Boil me some tea, love." The voice had melted out of the shadows.

Andy almost upending the kettle when she gave a startled yelp, whirling to see a figure standing in her mother's kitchen.

Trivia stood next to one of the chairs of the table, her eyes roving over each surface as if mentally critiquing the Jacksons lifestyle. With her ivory skin, it was hard to believe that she had actually birthed children as dark as Angelina Johnson and Lee Jordan. She was in her Greek form it seemed, as her presence seemed calmer and more relaxed than she ever was as Trivia. But then, as she often had to remind her, she had no Roman aspect as was always known as Hecate.

"Lady Hecate!" Andy choked on her own tongue. "What is the meaning of this visit?" She had heard from Vesta herself that Hecate's will was being swayed by Saturn, so why would she appear before her? Dread hung somewhere deep inside her.

A smile danced across the titan's lips, but she could not help thinking that it looked a bit darker and cruel than her smiles generally were. "Hello to you too, Andromeda."

Andy rolled her eyes as the goddess of Mist swirled her fingers allowing a cup of tea to appear suddenly in her hand as Andy poured herself a cup, moving out of the kitchen to stand before the goddess.

"It's not that I'm not grateful, Milady," she added gently, "it's just…why?"

Hecate's eyes fell to the thick bracelets that enveloped the Italian's wrists. They were the only thing that kept her ice powers in check as Chione was unwilling to train her further after the death of her only daughter; she was more angry about the circumstances surrounding her death, Hecate thought. Hecate was of the mind that if she could properly learn to control them, to no longer fear it, she would no longer need the bracelets for protection.

Andy twisted her arms uncomfortably, crossing them over her chest after she had set the mug on the table, hiding the metallic circlets from view. "Lady Hecate?"

"Ah, forgive me," the woman mused aloud, "I forget sometimes how much you despise unwanted attention."

Andy pursed her lips. She wasn't an attention seeker by any means, but there were sometimes when she wanted attention, like when she wanted to show Neptune she was as good as –and better than- Percy.

"Unfortunately," Hecate continued, "I am here on official business."

Andy's arms unwound and she took a long swig of her tea before sighing tiredly. "And what is it the gods ask of me this time?"

Hecate's eyes softened a fraction. She had done much for Olympus, yet still her father would not accept her...but it was no matter, no longer to her, at least.

"It concerns Spes."

Andy paused at that, all of her movements stilling so that it seemed as if she had turned to ice, which was highly likely, considering her parentage. Of course, she knew of the goddess of Hope, everyone knew that story. All at Camp Jupiter were told the tale of the foolish Pandora who opened the pithos that held all the miseries of the world.

"What of her?" she said finally, taking another gulp of scalding tea.

"She's gone missing," Hecate said, her voice flat and her face serious. "Jupiter believes it to be an act of Saturn."

"He would," Andy grumbled under her breath, pouring the rest of her tea down the drain, the liquid souring in her mouth. "And where does he believe her to be?"

"Tartarus."

The cup shattered in the sink as she dropped it, giving a small noise of alarm. Tartarus…that was a place that not even the bravest would dare to enter, even if they could. Andy had tasted madness once before, and she was not eager for a second taste. The only ways in were to fall into the gorge in the Underworld or to stand too close to a monster when it was vanquished (she had heard ghost stories of the latter), and there was only way out that she knew of.

"I am not who you think I am," she said finally. "I am not strong enough to brave the godly hell."

"You are the only one brave enough to," Hecate disagreed. "It is an act that would prove yourself to Neptune."

The door opened with a click as three laughing individuals entered the room, completely unaware of the tension that filled the air.

Harry's hair had grown out a little since she'd last seen him, but barely. His green eyes sparkled when he caught sight of his lovely aunt and he rushed forward, throwing his arms around her neck with so much enthusiasm that the daughter of Neptune stumbled.

"Aunty!" he yelled happily.

Andy's lips curled upwards into a gentle smile as she lifted him slightly, swinging him around with a light laugh. "Harry!"

Laughter bubbled from his lips as his feet touched the ground once more and he gazed at her with awe. "You look so pretty!"

A pleased flush dusted Andy's olive cheeks as she ruffled his hair affectionately. "Thanks, Harry."

"So this is Poseidon's grandson?" Hecate asked in a mild voice, earning stares from Andy's nephew, brother, and mother. "I see the likeness."

Percy's eyes swept over his sister, though he was still stunned by her appearance (why was she wearing a toga?), he could easily see her smile twisting and becoming bitter.

"Is that an insult?" she asked coolly, tucking a dyed-blue strand of hair behind her ear as she did so before dropping her hands to Harry's shoulders as he stared up at the goddess.

Hecate smiled slightly as the boy raised his hands to grip his aunt's hands. "Not at all, merely an observation." Or was it?

"Indeed," Andy remarked. "Mum, Percy, Harry, I don't believe you've met Lady Hecate."

Her mother bowed respectfully, but Percy seemed a bit too surprised to do one properly. Harry gave an inclination of his head.

Hecate gave them a small smile. "Hello." And then she turned once more to Andy. "You are caught between two worlds, dear…you will make a wonderful praetor." Those sentences made no sense…how could she go from one topic to the next so fast?

Percy didn't know what that word was, but Andy's eyes bugged out and she choked. "P- _Praetor_? Are you  _mad_?! Grace will-"

Hecate smiled kindly, dropping a hand to her curls. "Just remember, love, your father is a difficult man to please, but even I know it is your desire."

"I don't want-" Andy started, her eyes flashing.

"Prove your worth, child of Rome," Hecate hummed, "go where the gods dare not to."

And then Andy had to shut her eyes so as not to be blinded by Hecate's godly form. When she opened them again, she had to sigh tiredly, resting an ice-cold (which was worrying by itself as Andy's skin was rather warm to begin with) hand against her forehead.

"Harry," Sally suggested lightly, "why don't you go and put your things in your room?"

The legacy of Thanatos glanced from his gran to his aunt and uncle before giving a subdued, "Okay."

Andy felt strangely cold as her nephew left her. She pulled the toga from her body, revealing the dark clothing and tunic beneath. Her knees shook and she felt weak as she sat down hard on the couch.

"Andy?" Her mother's gentle voice was comforting to her frayed nerves. It was as good as any hymn Apollo could cook up. "What is it? Why was Lady Hecate here?"

For a painfully long moment, Andy didn't say a word or hardly even breathe, but then the frigid palm cupping her face fell away and she spoke. "Apparently the Spirit of Hope has gone missing," she said at long last, her breath issuing from her mouth in a rather obvious fog of cold air. Her heart sank in her chest; so this was Hecate's goal all along? To break the spell she had cast on Andy's bracelets? To shake her delicate control?

"Elpis?" Sally said at the same time Percy said "Huh?"

"The Spirit of Hope was the last thing that remained in Pandora's "Box"," Andy explained for Percy's benefit. "It is of the highest concern, since Spes is one of the Protogenoi, one of the first beings that existed before the universe. If she truly is missing…that is worrying." A thoughtful expression had now overtaken her features.

"Would Lady Hecate lie?" Sally asked her, this time curious.

Andy glanced to her mother. "Her allegiances have shifted, there is no doubt in my mind that she would lie." All that remained was discovering if she had lied this time, which, even Andy couldn't be certain of.

* * *

Harry twitched nervously on the small couch that was his bed, waiting for his family to cease their conversation. Harry Potter wasn't stupid, not by a long shot; he knew that wherever Aunty Andy went, they required a great deal of her time now. She was worried too, really worried. She had slight grey crescent moons under her eyes which were always lined with stress nowadays. Uncle Percy and her never talked about it, but he knew the spirits of the dead were growing restless, something to do with Tartarus and an oncoming war. It made him nervous; he wasn't skilled enough for a war.

He jumped when the door creaked open and his young aunt and uncle entered.

Andy smiled as she sat next to him, smoothing the dark fringe from his forehead in a motherly gesture. "Sorry, about that kiddo, grown-up stuff."

Harry gave her a baleful stare that he had perfectly replicated from her. She smirked in amusement, handing him the plastic bowl of soup she was carrying. "That was adorable, darlin', but better luck next time."

Harry blushed hard as he spooned his soup into his mouth to give him a reason to not respond.

Her smirk widened. "That's such a Percy response," she chuckled. "Using his food as an excuse."

"Hey!"

A smile touched her nephew's lips, and then he opened his mouth to ask her a question that surprised her: "Can you teach me archery?"

"You want to try the bow?"

Harry was surprised by how startled his aunt sounded.

"Why? Is that wrong?" he asked, his voice almost shy.

"No, not at all," she quickly covered, her smile assuaging his fears, "it's just that children of Poseidon generally don't do well with bows."

"You have one," he pointed out, gesturing to where the intricately carved bow was propped against Andy's headboard. "And you can use it."

The daughter of Rome winced, recalling how absolutely terrible she was with the bow to begin with. It took her months to finally get the hang of it, and it was lucky that neither Apollo or Artemis (the goddess preferred her Greek form) were mortal, or they would have been dead in the first few hours.

Andy's gaze moved to her watch. "Apollo is a terrible teacher, despite what he claims, and he spends more time romancing women than shooting arrows, but Artemis might be willing…despite certain things." Her eyes twinkled in a knowing manner that always made Percy wish he could read her mind. "She has a tendency to turn males into jackalopes if they approach her or her hunters."

Harry and Percy gaped at her. "Really?"

A snort escaped her lips before she could stop it. "She is a virgin goddess, she worries that with boys around her hunters will abandon their cause." She did not dare to say that her sister feared love, but she knew that she did not understand it. Andy didn't mind that too much, she understood enough of it for the pair of them.

"I'll take you out tonight," Andy continued, directing her attention to her nephew, "she might be willing to teach you some basics, if you are honest with her." She glanced to where Percy lay sprawled on his bed, half asleep already. "Your uncle can sleep while we have fun," she whispered conspiratorially with a wink.

Harry grinned, and as quietly as possible, the grandson of Poseidon pulled on his shoes and a light jacket in case it was cold. And he took her hand and they disappeared in flurry of ice.

When he opened his eyes again he found that they were in a wide expansive plain with a set up of silver tents in the close distance. Andy bade him to await her while she explained the situation to her cousin, and so Harry waited silently as she melted into the plain, moving like gazelle to come to a stop before a girl with a slight stature, perhaps his aunt's age.

The spoke at length for a few moments with Andy speaking with her hands and the girl that must be Artemis nodding seriously as well. There was a moment of grudging silence after that, in which goddess and ex-goddess entered into a stare down, but Harry had never met someone who could beat Andy at that; many were far too unnerved by the turbulent orbs to try. Apparently the goddess of the wild conceded, because both began to make their way towards him. He gulped nervously as Artemis, daughter of Zeus, surveyed him.

She was lovely, of course, but in a way that Andy was lovely; unattainable and distant, but bright and guiding at the same time. Her eyes were fascinating because they were the precise color of moonlight, and her hair was a reddish-brown that reminded him of trees in the autumn.

"You are Harry Potter, grandson of Poseidon and legacy of Thanatos?" the girl inquired in voice that seemed too old for her body.

"Yes, ma'am," Harry said quickly, leaning into Andy's side for support. It was a movement that Artemis was quick to notice, and it was something that pleased her, restoring a sliver of her faith in mankind, but that sliver was microscopic and too small to matter.

"Your aunt has told me wonderful things about you," she said to his surprise, noting how his green eyes –so alike, yet so different from his aunt's- widened at that. "She tells me you wish to learn archery."

"Um, y-yes, ma'am," he stuttered, his grip on his aunt's hand tightening. She squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"And I'm certain she's told you what happens to males who approach my hunters and I?" she asked in amusement, interpreting his unease accurately.

"Yes, ma'am," he said again.

The goddess frowned, surveying him thoughtfully once more, only this time Harry could not admire the beauty that was her eyes.

"Very well," she said finally, "but-"

"Um," Harry interjected quickly, "I'm not really old enough to care about girls…like that, Lady Artemis."

"Indeed," the child goddess agreed. "Come, let me show you how to wield the bow."

After Andy had nodded encouragingly, Harry had followed the girl into the plains. Andy watched them fade into the grass until a voice startled her out of her musing.

"You wished to speak with me, daughter of Neptune?"

Diana was very different from Artemis. For one, she appeared as a young woman as opposed to a child, with silver hair swept up into a tight bun and wild brown eyes. Andy couldn't be sure which side of her cousin she liked better.

"Yes," Andy agreed, coming to stand beside the Roman goddess as she surveyed the moon in the sky, "It concerns Spes."

Diana nodded as if waiting for her to continue, which she did.

"Hecate mentioned that Spes has gone missing…" her throat closed up before she forced the words out, "and that she can be found in Tartarus."

"A truly troubling thought," Diana surmised with a rather blank expression (Andy didn't like those expressions too much), "but unfortunately a true one."

"Oh?" Andy's shoulders sagged as she said this, disappointment coloring her voice as well.

Diana watched her carefully through her dark lashes. Young Andromeda had grown up well. That blue and white hair of hers would never fit regulation, but there wasn't much that could be done about that. Her heart-shaped face and high cheekbones looked out of place on the warrior that she was, but suited her all the same. "You would make a fine praetor for the Twelfth Legion." The blunt words escaped her lips before she could silence them.

She did not expect the normally so composed abominable child of Neptune to goggle at her in a rather unrefined way. My, how the mighty did fall…what a Greek thing to do. And, yes, she meant that as an insult.

"My apologies," she said after a moment, "but you are not the first person to tell me that today."

"Indeed," Diana said with an arched eyebrow, forgiving her for being shocked, "however, it is the truth. You have your father's bearing, despite how much you wish to deny it. You are a natural leader, if there are those who are willing to listen."

Andy didn't agree, if that wasn't obvious.

They did not speak for a long moment, merely watching Andy's nephew and Diana's Greek counterpart (that was very confusing). "The boy will excel in the bow," Diana noted, "but place a sword in his hands and you will have a true warrior."

"I have no doubt," Andy agreed, twisting her wrists in a circular motion that made an ominous crack. The movement captured Diana's attention and the goddess grasped one of her wrists.

"These bracelets…" she mused aloud, "they were a gift from Hecate, no?"

Andy blinked in surprise. "Um…yes, wh-ah!"

The silver chains crumpled into fine dust that was carried away by the wind. The look in Andy's eyes was worse, the emotion within those deep green orbs was hard to describe; it was angry, shocked, and terrified at the same time, and the next second Diana knew why. Ice had coated her wrists, frosting over her veins.

"No-no-no!" Andy cursed loudly, rubbing her hands together feverishly in the vain hope that the friction would be enough to melt the ice from where it was. "Come on!" Her fear mounted as the ice spread over her palms to the tips of her fingers. She gave a cry of alarm.

In that instant, Diana saw why she feared that gift of hers so absolutely. What little control she had over it was meager at best (she mentally cursed Chione for not showing the girl a greater amount of control).

Andy barely noticed when a pair of black velvet gloves was shoved onto her hands, she did, however, notice when the ice receded and the growing cold vanished.

"That is not a permanent solution," Diana said in that detached voice of hers (seriously, it was getting on her nerves; Artemis was definitely going to be her favorite after this). "Learn control or become an ice statue, those are your only choices in this world, Miss Jackson."

Andy had never felt so helpless in all her twelve years. Helpless and miserable.

* * *

"I did it right, I know I did!"

That was what Percy Jackson came home to. Andromeda didn't do distraught, but she did annoyance and pissed as hell rather well. This was definitely pissed as hell.

"Percy!"

A swirl of white and blue appeared before his eyes as his (currently) army-punk sister flashed over to him, brandishing a paper before his eyes so fast that he didn't have a chance to even read one word, let alone one grade. And once he did, he had to blink.

"Um, Andy," he said carefully, as anything was prone to set her off these days, "this is completely in Italian."

"So is Mella's!" she all but howled. "And look at her grade!"

A bright red O was splashed on the top of Carmella's paper, which she shamefully held up.

"Now look at mine!" She shoved the paper under his nose again. It was a crimson A.

"Isn't an A good, though?" Percy asked in confusion. It was the one grade that he'd never managed to score.

"A's are adequate," Andy grumbled just loud enough for him to hear as she threw herself onto the couch, crossing her arms mutinously. It was at least eighty degrees outside, yet she insisted on wearing those black gloves of hers. Mom was too nice to pry, but Percy didn't have that kind of restraint. The worried glance she'd given him when he'd mentioned it was enough to worry  _him_. "It's like getting a 'C' in muggle terms, and an 'E' is like a 'B', and an 'O' is like an 'A'."

"Ah…" Percy said slowly, still not really understanding at all. "So, you didn't really get a good grade, then-"

"Well, of course not!" Andy all but wailed, vaulting herself from the couch when the door opened, throwing herself on her mother. "Mum!"

Carmella giggled into her hand. "I'll leave you lot alone…I've got some…stuff to take care of…" She winked at Harry who was giving her an obviously suspicious stare.

"Aunt Mella," he said, drawing her name out as he did so, "what're you up to?"

"My dear legacy," Carmella said in a flirtatious voice (of course that made sense, as she was a child of the love goddess, no matter how many times Percy forgot it), batting her eyelashes in a way that made her violet eyes seem brighter, "why on earth would think I'm up to something?"

Harry's baleful stare –he was doing those a lot- told her that her lying skills needed a lot of work, since he was Andy's nephew who was the epitome of lying. "You're best friends with Aunty, that's enough reason to be suspicious."

Carmella's smirk lit up her eyes, but she offered no response to that, merely waggling her fingers at the boy and retreating past mother and daughter –the latter complaining in a whining voice of her grade once more- and out of the door, leaving Harry with the insanity that was his family.

Harry Potter wondered how he was still sane.

Her skin was burning, like she had been lit on fire. The nightmare had only just begun when it ended and Andy's eyes flew open. There was a figure standing over her. Andy didn't have time to quell her fear as she reached for the knife under her pillow, only pausing when she recognized her 'assailant'.

"Harry?" She groaned, releasing the knife and sitting up in her bed. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"Nightmares," Harry whispered simply, so as not to awaken Percy where he lay, fast asleep in his bed, rubbing his hands feverishly over his arms. "It's a little cold."

Andy was certain she just blinked at him, her surprise blatant. Cold was something that she was so used to, yet was so foreign to her at the same time. The thin blanket crinkled under her gloved grip, but even she could tell that it was rather warm. Concern now colored her eyes.

"Harry," she said quietly, "did you have a bad dream?"

"A little," Harry whispered evasively, ignoring his young aunt's reproachful stare that could so often instill guilt upon those who received it (not that he did, he was much too good for that).

"C'mere," she mumbled, pulling out a thicker blanket from under her bed to cocoon him in it and offering half of her bed to him. "Sometimes, dreams are scary," she whispered, "and that's okay, 'cause everyone gets scared."

"Even you?" Harry asked doubtfully.

Her lips twitched, painted silver by the moonlight. "Me too."

"What're you scared of?" he asked, curious now.

Instead of telling him in the soft whispers they had been gently conversing in, Andy leaned close to his ear to mutter lowly a name that had him confused. What was so scary about him? Still, he wouldn't make fun of her for it, that wouldn't be very nice. Instead, he snuggled into her side, unaware of how she winced he brushed against her most recent and most mysterious injury, one that was black and purple and leaking out in veins over her skin. It was small now, but she doubted it would remain to be so. And as she fell asleep, she flinched as the name she had whispered to her nephew echoed loudly on all sides, yet only being heard by her.

_CUPID_

Why did she get the feeling that her nightmare had only just begun?


	3. Threats From Erotic Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On another note: Chiron doesn't actually know that Carmella, Marlene, and Andromeda are Roman. Enjoy!

Andy tried not to feel too awkward displaying her skin to Chiron, but really, who wouldn't be? The centaur was closely examining the wound at her side. She didn't know why she hadn't gone to him sooner, but, in all honesty, she preferred Lupa to Chiron, though Lupa would probably just tell her to "man-up" –to which Andy would retort that she was not a man, causing the goddess to snort. But Chiron knew how to deal with injuries as opposed to Lupa, so here she was.

She tried hard not to wince as he poked and prodded at her side.

"Dear me…"

"It's not serious, is it?" she asked in a bland tone that said that she very much thought it so. The wound had grown blacker in the coming weeks since it had appeared on her skin, the web-like veins now spanning across her stomach. Of course, it was serious, who was she kidding?

"This is a wound that can only be healed with time," Chiron regretfully, applying a thick bandage to the blackened area in an attempt to protect it a bit more from further injury. "It looks to be manufactured by Hecate…thankfully it is only designed to last a few weeks."

"Great," Andy grumbled under her breath, dropping the hem of her shirt so that it fluttered down to her waist once more. "Then why does it look worse than before?"

"It is little more than bruise with dark coloring, I'm afraid," he assured her, "it could have very well been much more serious."

"I'll take your word for it," she muttered under her breath. Almost unconsciously she rubbed at the dark fabric that covered her hands; it felt like gossamer silk to her. She was so focused that she didn't realize that Chiron had caught the movement.

Cursed daughter of Poseidon that she was, he was unsurprised that her gift of ice had betrayed her. It was a rarity on its own, one that Percy was slowly learning to use, but the power Andy had had over it in the beginning was impressive to behold. Or had been impressive during the period that she had been able to use it without fear of turning to ice.

"Something troubles you," he noticed as she straightened up once more, wincing once more as her bruise throbbed under her clothes and bandage.

"Many things," she grumbled under her breath, but loud enough that he didn't have to strain to be heard. "I'm a worrywart, ask anyone." As both Marlene and Callie had remained in camp after summer had ended, he certainly had access to their knowledge of her habits.

"I suspect it's something in particular," the centaur ventured, his age-old eyes fastened outside the window to Thalia's Pine.

Andy flinched. She had actually forgotten all about her cousin's condition. "Yes, Callie mentioned that Thalia had been poisoned. You haven't caught who's responsible?"

"Not yet," Chiron said with a sigh, "but Lord Zeus is eager to blame someone."

"So they're firing you?"

It wasn't every day that Andy Jackson-Black, daughter of Poseidon gaped to you. It was a novel experience.

"Not yet," he felt the need to say, "though, I dare say, it is on the horizon, my dear girl."

Andy mouthed wordlessly at him, completely stupefied. But what took him by surprise was the anger that followed, the anger that caused her clothed fingers to spark.

"Those fools," she snarled in a wolf-like manner, "what are they thinking?! You're the demigod trainer for Jove's sake!"

The sky crackled ominously overhead.

Andy flipped the bird. "Oh, you know it's true!"

The sky seemed to grumble, but relented.

Chiron arched an eyebrow at her, but she just gave an airy wave of her hand. "Eh, gods, what can you do?" Her eyes settled into an annoyed expression as she stalked from where she had been standing at the doorway into Big House up to where the pine tree that guarded the borders stood. Thalia's tree had always impressed her, even when she'd only been a child. It had glowed with vitality and magic and ghostly essence.

Now, it lacked all of those qualities.

The pine needles were drooping now and losing the lush green color they had had a few months previously, during her last visit. She spread her fingers over the rough bark, tears pricking her eyes. "Thalia?" she whispered. "Thalia? Are you there?"

The mist that formed her cousin's visage didn't seem capable to doing so now, simply swirling around the trunk as if it was confused. Andy's hand clenched into an angry fist as she leaned her face into the bark. "I'm so lost, Thalia," she whispered, the wood biting into her cheek, "I don't…I need advice, and you're not here to help me." The mist brushed against her hair, like when Thalia got too close to her skin, vaporizing her form.

Andy sat down hard between the roots, curling in on her side, her fingers brushing against wood as if trying to seek comfort from it. "They say Spes is missing," she said finally, tilting her head upwards, "in Tartarus. Hecate wants me to go down personally to bring her back, so that I can earn favor with Father, but Hecate's one of the minor gods that is being tempted by the will of Saturn." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't even know who I should trust anymore! Everything is just so…" she couldn't come with the perfect word to articulate how exactly she felt. "Complicated…I guess."

Could she really do it? Travel into the depths of Tartarus and save a goddess? Could she finally impress her father?

" _You will make a wonderful praetor."_

She couldn't deny how she had often dreamed of being a praetor as a child, but praetors were elected by popular vote, she'd never win.

And she'd never live in Tartarus; she wouldn't last a day in its grip, that much she knew.

Just how badly did she want his approval anyways?

* * *

"Kick her ass, Percy!"

"Go Andy!"

The sea god's two children could be found in a very small and sparse dugout far out of town with their choice weapons in hand. This was the weirdest sort-of-picnic Andy had ever had, consisting of her mother, brother, Carmella, and Rachel. She felt bad about not having Marlene or Callie around, but it was good bit from Camp Half-blood.

Percy and Andy were the lunch entertainment, ensuing in a mock battle that involved the trading of weekly chores. Typically, Andy won these battles, but was roped into assisting her brother as she felt awkward not doing anything.

Percy battered his blade against hers, but she blocked with ease. Her movements were almost lazy, to his eternal annoyance, but then, she had been a demigod longer than him (and by that he meant she had trained longer).

"How did you…get so good?" he grunted out his question between careful thrusts of his blade that gained him little ground in this battle.

Andy shrugged, twirling like a ballerina as she did so. "I suppose it helps when you have a rival."

Percy couldn't help but be surprised by that information. Though, he shouldn't have really been surprised, Andy  _was_  a bit rough around the edges, and if you rubbed her the wrong way, she told it to you straight up. Or she could be subtle, depending on how she felt.

Andy despised bringing up Jason Grace in conversation, mostly because she hated him so much. Why exactly did she bring him up?

"Who was she?"

Andy rolled her eyes at him. "His name is Jason Grace. We don't get along much."

"Why not?" Percy asked, ducking suddenly as she struck once more.

Andy grunted as she threw all of her weight on the sword, sending his tumbling from his hand. The coolness of her blade brushed against the side of his neck. Another win for her, it seemed, although her smile was humorless.

"Looks like the kitchen duties this week are all yours, dear brother."

Carmella pouted as the two took their seats on the picnic blanket once more. "Aw! I was hoping you would at least come close! Way to be a downer!"

"DUCK!"

Andy's scream had them all moving for cover, only to hear nothing in return. Percy blinked open his eyes to see an arrow imbedded in a spot that was between his sister's feet.

"Andy?" She didn't seem to be capable of hearing him, her eyes wide and her chest heaving. It was almost as if she was having a panic attack, but he'd never seen her like that. What about that arrow scared her so much?

 _Love takes us all by surprise_ , a voice whispered on the air, a whisper only she could hear.  _Did it take you?_

Words were choked from her lips, it was as if the world had fallen away leaving her in darkness and shadow. And him. The curly black hair made his blood red eyes even more obvious. The movement of his arm caught her attention instantly and she took one step back, one fearful step back, one step to further herself from her greatest fear, the love god himself, Cupid.

 _You must fear me greatly, to look upon me so_ , he continued, sounding faintly amused.

"Stay away from me!" she hissed, holding her blade aloft, but the weapon burned in her hands and she was forced to drop it, the metal glowing with heat, her hands burned.

 _You should not fear love_ , the god continued,  _but accept it_ ,  _as you will._

"It is not love that I fear, my lord," she seethed, "but you."

 _Me?_  He sounded genuinely confused, but that could be easily faked.  _You fear me, but not love? I'm afraid you have me at a loss._

"You make people love, you trick people," Andy stepped back as he stepped forward once more. "The person I love, the demigod I love…he is someone I do not want to lie to. I don't want to be in love with him if it isn't me. Why don't you get that?"

For a long moment, Cupid spoke no words, but then he leaned down, his face dangerously close to hers _. I am going to enjoy hunting you, Miss Jackson._

The darkness faded and reality materialized around her a split second before her legs were swept out from under her, causing her to fall heavily onto her back, a choked gasp leaving her lips before she had time to blink.

The air was thick, it was so hard to breathe, all she could make out was a swirl of red. Marlene…or was it Rachel?

"Andy? Andy, can you hear me?"

She opened her mouth to say something when her visage shattered into ice particles, leaving behind her very confused and worried family and friends.

"Where'd she go?"

The world twisted and turned, melding and parting before her in a mesh of color until she was herself once more, falling painfully to her knees, crying out in the pain of the travel-teleportation she had just successfully attempted. Her thin frame shook and she forcefully clamped a hand to her mouth, attempting to force the bile down, but it was a dam that would not hold for long. She stumbled into a standing position, tripping as she made her way to the edge.

Andy dislodged what little food she had consumed in that one afternoon over the side of the cliff, not quite caring if the sick hit anyone below. She had never felt so sick in her whole life as she lay there retching.

"Better out than in, Andromeda."

She moaned at the familiar low and guttural voice that had once been the only voice she would hear day in and day out. The voice of Lupa, the patron goddess of Rome, was always soothing to her frayed nerves.

"Lupa," she gasped, collapsing onto the rocky floor before her, reaching out a shaking hand towards her great mentor. "Help…me…"

A pair of piercing eyes met hers and she heard a faint whisper of "Always," then she knew no more.

* * *

"The limit is always five hours," Carmella said feverishly from where she sat next to Harry as Percy paced in front of the unlit fireplace (they had had to force Rachel to go home with the promise of phoning when they heard of her), "that's the rule. If she's not back in five hours-"

"Who came up with that rule?" Percy demanded, threading his hands into his hair, trying to keep his emotions in check when a different voice answered him.

"Andromeda came up with it when she was seven," the coarse voice commented, "it was only a few weeks afterwards that she was kidnapped."

Percy was reaching for his sword, positioning himself defensively before his mother, when Carmella gave a stunned gasp, falling to her knee. "Mother Lupa," she said, "we were not expecting you."

"How'd you get in?" Percy demanded.

"Percy," his mother warned.

"What?"

Carmella shot him a look.

The woman smiled, but it was a bit on the feral side. "I like him, he's got spunk."

Percy couldn't help but be unnerved by her. Maybe it was the fact that she had actual canines, or maybe it was the fact that all of her sharp features would have been better suited on a wolf.

"As Carmella said, I am Lupa, the Wolf Goddess of Rome," the woman said in a voice that brooked no argument. She smiled to the older woman that Percy was standing protectively before. "Ah, you must be Sylvia, Andromeda's mother. It's a pleasure."

She held out a hand, surprising Sally, because she was so used to immortals preferring to be bowed to. But she shook her hand without any reservations.

"Its just Sally," she said quickly, "you know my Andy well?"

"Quite," Lupa said with a smirk that Percy had more than once seen on Andy's face. "She views me as the cross between a mother and a confidant." She watched carefully for the woman's response, expecting jealousy, but that was not what she received.

"You're the one who trained her," Sally realized in relief, "she speaks highly of you."

"She should." Lupa barked out a laugh. "That little girl is closest who ever came to being viewed as my legitimate child."

Sally's heart swelled with emotion. "Thank you," she said simply, "thank you for being there for my daughter."

"You are most welcome, Miss Jackson," Lupa said, giving her an incline of the head, "it has been my duty as it has been yours to raise the child…I daresay we both have failed in some aspects…" A determined frown marred her face, and Carmella knew in a second that she was referring to Nox Bacchry. "She is sleeping now," she added, "it would be best to let her rest."

"What happened to her?" Carmella asked. "She totally freaked when she saw the arrow-"

"It was Cupid's, wasn't it?" Harry had a nasty habit of keeping his silence for an extended amount of time before speaking rather suddenly, thus causing others to jump rather violently.

"Cupid…ah, what an intelligent child you are," Lupa said, bending lowly so she could meet Andy's nephew's bright eyes. "I would expect nothing less of Letus' descendent."

"Of who?" Percy asked blankly.

"Thanatos, Percy," Carmella said amidst a sigh. "Letus is his name in Roman scripture."

"Oh…"

"But yes," Lupa said, turning her attention to the descendent of Death himself, "you are correct about Cupid."

Harry could see the question in her eyes and he blushed uncomfortably. "I couldn't, er, sleep a few days ago, and she said that everyone was afraid of something, that Cupid was the one she feared most."

Lupa breathed in deeply. "Yes, I would think Cupid is rather high on the chain, especially since he is leaning rather heavily towards Saturn."

"Great," Carmella grumbled, "first Hecate, now this. Any other gods that have turned?"

"As of today? It only includes Hecate, Cupid, Nemesis, Chione, and Juventas."

Carmella sighed, raking a hand through her golden-brown hair. "I assume that the Praetor has been informed?"

"It is my duty," Lupa said in calm agreement. "Andromeda had a panic attack upon the sight of Cupid's arrow coupled with his voice. To her heart and soul, he is far more dangerous to her than her own father."

"But our father would never hurt her," Percy said speaking up, needing to be heard, "she said so herself, months ago."

"You are correct," she said. "Neptune would not dare to kill his only daughter, but she does fear him. And if you think Andromeda does not have enemies, you are mistaken."

"But what about Cupid?" Percy asked. "How did he scare her? I thought he was just a god of love."

"What he is, is the god of erotic love the very thing that Andromeda fears," Lupa said, descending to sit on crossed legs. "It is carnal love that drives many mad and it is something that disgusts and horrifies her. That kind of love wrecks misery and havoc. It is wise to fear love like that."

"Wise to fear love?" Harry asked flummoxed.

"Wise to fear certain loves," Lupa corrected him before smirking. "After all, it was I who convinced her to give the poor boy a chance…Besides, many know of the dangers of Perseus and Andromeda. Saturn has tried to separate them before, but it did not work for long."

"I don't understand what you're saying!" Percy snapped.

"Percy!" His mother warned, her voice reproachful.

"What?!" he demanded. "She's speaking in riddles! And talking about love gods and fears and-"

"Percy…short for Perseus, no doubt?" Lupa mused. "Obviously you are Andromeda's brother. She described your protective nature quite clearly." She eyed him shrewdly. "I understand that it is difficult for you to understand your sister at times, but she is a dangerous individual both to the gods and to the titans. You can ask her if you like, and she'll agree."

"Why?" Percy asked, his tone obviously saturated with suspicion.

"Because it's the truth," Carmella said, interjecting in an almost rude manner. "How many people do you know who have control over the sea and have a lightning bolt vibrating inside of them? Just one." She cupped her face in her hands. "That's why Saturn-I mean Kronos tried to bring her over to his side, because he needs as many powerful demigods as he can possibly find-"

"But Kronos hasn't been awakened," Sally added from her seat, "wasn't that the point?"

"The balance is shifting, Miss Jackson," Lupa said solemnly. "Even the gods can sense the storm brewing."

* * *

" _Do you always fish so far from Seriphos?"_

_Perseus looked up from the sea to smile at the speaker. "All the best fish are for some reason converged in Aethiopia…"_

_A smile graced her lips as a pleased flush dusted her cheeks. From the way he was looking at her, it was clear that he thought she was the reason why all the best fish were in Aethiopia._

" _I'm quite certain that we have the same kind of fish here as Seriphos," Andromeda said, her pale dress sweeping over the aged dock until she was sitting beside him, daringly close. She knew neither her mother nor her father would approve if they were there, but thankfully, they weren't._

" _There might be one or two differences," he mused, before glancing behind him._

" _Searching for an unseen enemy?" Andromeda asked, glancing back as well, but in amusement._

" _Well, you are the princess of the region," he said, glancing amongst the foliage for hidden guards._

_Andromeda hid a giggle behind her hand. "My parents have all but given up searching for me when I'd rather be alone."_

" _I can leave," Perseus said quickly._

" _Oh, no, please don't," she said quickly, "that's just what I tell my parents…I'm actually glad that you're here, your presence is…soothing."_

_He arched an eyebrow, a warm feeling pooling in his stomach. "Is that so?" His knuckles brushed accidentally against hers, but she didn't pull away. Growing bolder, he took her hand in his, his thumb tracing over the back of her hand._

_She still didn't pull away, turning towards him so that she could see his eyes were the exact color of the sky, and his hair the color of freshly cut grain. He was leaning forward-_

Andy's eyes fluttered open and she inhaled deeply, her heart racing in her chest for a moment, as if Nico had just been in the room with her.

"Andy? Are you awake?"

Her mother's voice brought her to a bit more awareness and she blinked a few times, sitting up in confusion.

"Mum?" she said in confusion. "I thought I was-"

Her mother spared her a kindly smile as she sat down beside her, smoothing her daughter's pale hair away from her face.

"I know," she said softly, "Lupa told us everything last night, while you were sleeping."

A flush of shame spread across her face at that and she quickly ducked her head.

Sally smiled. "Oh, you and your brother are so alike, darling….I'm so proud of you, you know that, don't you?"

"Of course, Mum," Andy promised, hating that she always got all choked up when her mother talked to her like this. "I've always wanted to make you proud."

"Well, you do," Sally said with a wet smile, kissing her daughter's brow with the tenderness that only a mother could possess. "And I know that there is so much about your life that you might never want to talk about…but I'm here, if you ever want to talk, alright?"

"Mum, I know you are," Andy said, her fingers curling around the blanket that had been tucked around her while she slept, "there's just…there's stuff I don't like to talk about because I-I just don't want to remember anything."

Sally's eyes softened. For an instant, her brave, strong-willed, sharp-tongued daughter was so small before her eyes, as if she was eight again, like when they first met after she had been stolen from her. She seemed so delicate to Sally, like glass that was about to shatter in her hands. She knew that Andy hated to be viewed that way, but there were some times where it was just so evident that she couldn't not think of her in that aspect.

"My strong, beautiful girl," she hummed gently, "sometimes you need to let others bear your burdens with you…you can only take so much."

"I know, Mum," Andy promised, her voice much smaller than usual. "But I'm not Atlas, and my burden isn't the world."

Sally wanted to give her more words of encouragement, of love, but her little girl was already drifting off to sleep once again.

"Get some rest," she said quietly, kissing her forehead again. "I'll be here when you wake up."

Andy mumbled a few words that she couldn't make out, turning into her cushions and relaxing as she fell into the realm of Morpheus once more.


	4. The Proposal of Family

Andy knew at once that she was dreaming once her eyes opened. Mostly because the place she had awoken in was far more beautiful than anything she had ever seen in her life. The Grecian pillars and high, carved ceiling could not have been maintained so well in her century, so, therefore, it had to be a dream. The comforter underneath her was thick and heavy and rich, and the bed was much too big. It would better be suited for a king and his queen, but somehow, it felt like it was hers, like it belonged to her.

Andy swung her legs over the side of the bed to force her body into a vertical position as she meandered over to the full length ornate oval mirror that must have been hers, utterly fascinated with her reflection. She was wearing a pale blue peplos that had a collar that stooped but not enough to show anything, with simply leather sandals. Her white and blue hair was tied loosely back, a blue tendril falling against her neck. She would never have dreamed of herself looking this stunning in the clothes of Ancient Greece, and it was then that she noticed she was being watched.

He was leaning against the large open doorway with a soft smile evident on his lips. Andy's face heated up at the love she could clearly see in his eyes.

King Perseus of Mycenae was an image of both a warrior and a lover.

"There is nothing more beautiful or strange or unique than you, my heart," he said in a voice that told her he believed every word he said.

Andy turned around so she could face him and not the reflection, crossing her arms uncomfortably over her chest. "You're just saying that 'cause you have to," she scoffed, "I'm the reincarnation of your former lover."

Perseus smiled that soft smile that instantly reminded her of Nico when she caught him looking at her as he strode slowly to meet her. He raised a hand for a second, perhaps to catch her chin or to brush her hair back to rest behind her ear, but then he caught himself and forced his arm to return to his side to return to his grip on Harpe. Andy hardly recognized her sword.

"Andromeda is, was, and will always be, beautiful and stunning and an enthralling individual," he said in agreement, "but you are not Andromeda."

"Except that I am," Andy said, rolling her eyes in annoyance. It was her full name, after all, not including the whole reincarnation thing.

"Having someone's soul does not inherently make them you, or you them," Perseus said in a philosophical manner. "We are each our own person, the same can be said for you and Nico."

She arched an eyebrow at the mention of the boy.

"The compatibility of your souls did not force you to connect the way that you did," Perseus said seriously, "only circumstance did. Pure chance led to an eight year old girl falling off a balcony in the Lotus Hotel and Casino and onto an unknowing twelve year old boy. No gods interfered with that."

Andy turned away from him, freeing her arms from her chest to wind along the edge of the mirror.

"This place is beautiful," she said softly after a moment, "your and her chambers?"

A tender smile graced his lips as he glanced about the room. There wasn't much in it, but Andy could tell that what it did have held deep meaning to both the king and the queen who slept in it. She could see a masterfully carved bow with arrows that had pure white feathers in a quiver hanging on the wall as if ready to be grabbed if need be. A small jewelry box (or at least an ancient version of it) lay on the table close to the bed, but Andy could tell there wasn't a lot of jewelry in it…and the crown. Her fingers roved over the carved golden olive leaves, barely touching the small budding flowers scattered throughout it.

"You can try it on, if you like," Perseus mentioned in a voice tinged with amusement, making Andy quickly retract her hand.

"Oh, no," she said, stumbling a little over her words, "I really couldn't."

"You fear power," Perseus surmised, "most would gladly bear the weight of a crown, but you, you shrink away from it."

"I don't fear power," Andy disagreed, irritation leaking into her voice, "just its misuse." She gave him a pointed look.

"I never misused my power," Perseus said, his eyebrow twitching slightly at the insinuation, "but I have witnessed others."

"Then you are a king above all others," Andy said rolling her eyes.

"Don't do that."

"Don't do what?" she asked, sparing him a look, and this time the ancient king wasn't amused in the slightest.

"Don't hide behind that sarcasm and that anger when you don't understand something," Perseus said, his voice filled with warning, "you push so many people away that way."

"Maybe I prefer isolation."

A smirk adorned his lips making him look more like his half-brother, Jason. "You don't, not in the slightest. I know you far better than you think. You crave contact, that much I can see quite clearly, but you are so unused to it. You are a creature of passion, as evident in your anger. You like to hold hands because it is a connection to you." His eyes met hers and she saw only truth within. "And you fear above all things that which drives one mad."

Andy flinched at his words, moving backwards and bringing her arms up to her chest once more as if she was hoping to shield herself from the man.

"It would do you well to speak of your captivity," Perseus said, reaching out to trail a finger over her cheekbone, "only then will you come full circle Andromeda Jackson-Black, only then will you heal completely."

And then the world of the past faded leaving Andy feeling very cold.

Carmella was completely drenched to the bone when Andy opened the door, stunned surprise making its way across her face. She had half expected it to be Mum and Percy back from the store, having forgotten the keys, but they had only just left.

"Mella! What happened?"

Andy had never seen Carmella look so utterly broken and upset at the same time. Tears were pouring from her eyes, falling and mixing with the rain as she stood before the door of Andy's apartment.

"Can I-can I come in?" Carmella said in a surprisingly meek voice.

"Yeah," Andy said immediately, stepping aside, "you're completely soaking! What have you been doing?"

Her violet eyes were red around the edges, a sure sign of tears, if they hadn't blended in so well with the rain, and Andy's automatic response was: "What did he do?"

There were many 'he's she could be referring to: Percy, Fred, Praetor, Jason, Dakota. But Andy knew there was only one man that could ever make her cry like that, and that was her own father, Adomo Romano, Lord of the Romano Family. Carmella came from a very long line of Pure-blooded witches and wizards, hence why she was regarded as the black sheep of the family. For one, Carmella looked nothing like her father, or the rest of her family, even though her half-sister favored her step-mother's coloring with his eyes. Compared to them, Carmella was an oddity with strange eyes and a scent for trouble.

Her father had never been able to properly understand his demigod daughter, and the rift had only grown with time.

"H-he, h-he disowned me!" she said, her voice breaking as she wailed, all but collapsing into her arms. Andy stumbled to keep her friend up as she directed her to the couch in front of the un-lit fireplace.

"Bastard," she said, more for Carmella's benefit than her own, "he doesn't deserve you."

"Y-you always sa-ay that," Carmella said miserably between hiccups.

"That's because it's the truth," Andy said honestly, combing a hand through her wet molten gold colored hair like she had done all those years ago.

"Can I stay here tonight?" Carmella asked quietly. "I don't want to go back to Camp for awhile."

"Sure," Andy said easily, her eyes glancing over the paperwork on the tea table. It might not have been the best time for the question, but her mother had too good of a heart, and she did want an answer…so…"Carmella…what would you think about living here?"

Carmella rubbed at her eyes in the vain hope that the tears would staunch, but she had little luck. "You mean, like, until school's out?"

"No," Andy winced a little, "I mean like stay here permanently…like family."

Carmella froze completely, it was almost as if she had turned into a statue. Andy wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign.

"I'll get you some things to change into," Andy said a little awkwardly, "the shower's yours."

So she stood up and left the girl alone to rifle through her clothes until she found an oversized shirt of Percy's that he didn't wear and a pair of her sleep shorts. The shower was running by the time she returned, and she couldn't help but feel a little grateful; she didn't really want to face Carmella after posing a question like that. She hooked the clothes onto the knob of the door and fell onto the couch, throwing her arms over her eyes and mentally hitting herself over and over again.

"You complete and utter fool, Andromeda Jackson-Black!" she said to the empty room, "she's just lost her family and you're already trying to shove another one down her throat!"

It was her mother that had brought up how often Carmella stayed with them to her daughter. Being the loving mother that she was, she was concerned by how common they were becoming. It wasn't that she had anything against Carmella, her mother liked all of her daughter's friends, mostly because they were the only people that could keep her sane on most days. And it helped that she had a soft spot for Carmella.

Percy had been surprised when she had suggested adopting Carmella into their little family of misfits, but at the same time, not. After all, their mother would have probably adopted every demigod at Camp Half-Blood if she could have. Their mother was entirely too nice, in her children's honest opinions. If she saw someone that needed to be loved, she would give that love no matter what. It was like how much she had taken to Harry despite having no familial connection to him other than the fact that she had once been in a relationship with his grandfather (and it was still strange to imagine Poseidon as being a grandfather, Andy could still hardly wrap her head around it).

Andy, being Andy, thought that having Carmella as a sister would be flat-out amazing, just like it would be if she could have Marlene or Callie as a sister. But she understood that things weren't always that simple, and Carmella's opinion was what mattered most right now. However, she would be over the moon if she said yes, that much Andy was beyond certain of, because Carmella was one of the best people that she had ever met, and she deserved something good in her life (not being modest at all, but her family was pretty insanely awesome, emphasis on insane).

"Do you remember," Carmella said suddenly, jarring Andy out of her musings. She must have been pondering for longer than she had originally thought. She removed her arm from over her eyes to give Carmella her full attention, "Do you remember when we were kids? You know, too young to be able to properly hold a blade, so they gave us wooden daggers instead?"

A smile reached her lips as she recalled it.

"And one of the older kids had knocked you down and you were about to cry and I went and beat him in the leg for it?"

Andy laughed out loud. She had been more stunned than hurt, she remembered, but the tears had been about to fall when Carmella went and did that.

"You were so surprised and you said "I wish you were my sister," and I was so confused and I said "We are sisters.""

"Yeah," Andy said softly. "I remember it."

"I really, really like your mom, and your brother, and your nephew," Carmella said, sitting down beside her, "and I'd want nothing more to be part of this amazing family, but I need a little time to sort out everything."

"I get it, really I do," Andy assured her, "it was difficult for me to go from Andromeda, daughter of Walburga to Andy, daughter of Sally…but it'll get better, I promise, and we'll wait, 'cause you're worth it."

Carmella's grip only tightened over her hand.

"So, Carmella's going to be your sister?" Rachel's head peeked around her canvas to look at her friend who was sprawled on her bed, her head hanging off of the side, her face obscured by one of the painting magazines Rachel had thrown about the room.

"Maybe," Andy said, shrugging her shoulders, "she's still thinking about it, but it's only been a week and a half."

"So you've been counting?" Rachel asked with a smirk, earning her an annoyed look.

"Don't use your weird Art Psychology on me, Dare," she warned, making Rachel snigger, accidentally swiping a bit of white paint across her cheek.

"Art Psychology? This is just me psychoanalyzing you, it has nothing to do with the art," she said, mock defensively.

"Right," Andy drawled out the word that said she didn't believe her for a second, "you keep telling yourself that and maybe it'll come true."

"I also heard that you're thinking of moving into one of Dad's apartment complexes," she added, ducking behind the canvas to lather more paint across it, "the Magos, right?"

"Your father offered it to us at half the price," Andy said with another shrug, "and it's got an Extension charm on it, so even though it's pretty big, it doesn't look all that big!" Rachel didn't need to see her expression to know how excited she was. "And we can each get our own rooms, me, Percy, Mum, Harry, and Carmella, if she says yes."

"She will, just you wait," Rachel said airily, "and you know why Dad offered it to you half price, don't you?"

She could practically see her friend's eye roll.

"Maybe because he's Lord Dare and I'm Lady Black and some of my investments go towards him?" Andy offered in a dry manner. "Gods, being a lady sucks!" She dropped the magazine to the ground. "Do you have any idea how many functions there are that I have to attend? It's so bloody ridiculous!"

Rachel spared her an incredulous glance. "Since when have you gone to a societal function?"

"Oh, yeah, good point," Andy added in contemplation, making Rachel roll her eyes this time around, "but I still get a lot of invitations, and that's really annoying!"

"You know what, the next ball or whatever that my family has to go to, I'm dragging you along," Rachel told her firmly. "I'm going to show up at your house with a nice dress and I'm going to kidnap you."

"That's nice," Andy said wryly. "I'll register my complaints with the American Ministry of Magic."

"You can try," Rachel sang, "but you like me too much to get me thrown in jail."

"Possibly," Andy grumbled, rolling over and pushing herself up so that she was sitting with her legs crossed on top of the mattress. "Hey, hey, you know what I need? Like, what I really need more than anything else in the world?"

"No, A.J.," Rachel said in a mock-despairing voice, "what is it that you need more than anything else in the world?"

Andy turned to her, her face completely serious, "Permanent blue hair dye."

Peals of laughter escaped Rachel's lips before she could silence them. "Yes," she gasped between giggles, "because who wouldn't want that?"

"Exactly! So glad you understand!"

Rachel muttered something intelligible under her breath before asking with a mischievous expression. "Hey, you still having dreams about Mister Hottie?"

The flush on her cheeks told her she was right. "Gods, I could just die of embarrassment!" Andy uttered, flopping back onto the mattress once more. "It's like he's high jacking my dreams all the time! I can't ever dream about, you know, nothing, without him coming along and dragging me back to Mycenae and Memoryville!"

"I think its romantic," Rachel said dramatically, fluttering her eyelashes at her friend who groaned in response. "Being lovers in your past life."

"You know who I'd like to dream about?" Andy asked rhetorically.

"Maybe that sweet Italian boy you call 'tesoro'…"

Andy blushed again, this time a darker pink. "I haven't seen him in a few days," she mumbled to herself, "maybe I should drop by for a surprise visit…" She glanced over and scowled at how Rachel was waggling her eyebrows at her. "Oh, shut up!" she said, considering taking a pillow and throwing it at her, only stopping herself for the sake of not ruining the art.

"What was it that you told me a few months ago?" Rachel mused, straining to keep from smiling, but failing. "Something about you never would have considering calling a boy beautiful until you met him?"

Andy's cheeks burned even darker as she hid her face in her hands. "I didn't mean it like that! I meant-" His features were sharp and angular, like nobility often had, and that with his eyes and hair and easy smile made him look very beautiful. Not girly, not at all, but beautiful, that was something boys could be capable of.

"Tell Lover Boy I say hi," Rachel added with a smirk as Andy pulled out her phone, brightening at the sight of the name of the person who had sent it to her. Pleasantly, not even looking up from the screen, Andy flipped the bird at her, making her friend cackle like a stereotypical witch. "What's he saying?"

"He's testing his Italian," Andy said in clear amusement, "I think he's asking me "Where is my green?""

Rachel snorted in an unlady-like fashion. "Such a deep and philosophical question," she said in a serious manner. "Where does green go? And when will it return?"

"Oh, you think you are so clever, don't you?" Andy said as she typed out a response.

"Ooh, what're you telling him?"

"Andrà meglio la prossima volta, tesoro."

Rachel arched an eyebrow in bemusement as the Italian rolled off Andy's tongue like a second language, per usual. Honestly, the most Rachel knew in a second language was basic French, no matter how many times her parents insisted she learn more as the heiress of an old Wizarding family. In fact, they often used Andy as an example as to why she should, but Rachel knew better; she knew that Andy hadn't really wanted to take Italian in the first place. She'd been forced to choose between French and Italian, and, according to her, she had chosen between the lesser of two evils. "And that means?"

"Better luck next time, sweetheart."

"Is he going to actually know what that means, though?" Rachel asked with a grin.

"Eh…maybe he can sound it out," Andy said in an airy voice that said it clearly wasn't her problem.

"You are incorrigible," Rachel decided, "that poor boy! What did he do to ever deserve you?"

Andy uttered a laugh that sounded distinctly dog-like to Rachel. She had only heard her laugh like that a few times. "One would think that you don't appreciate my wit, Rachel, if you pity my boyfriend for the company he keeps."

"Oh, don't do that!" Rachel said, screwing up her face, "don't you slip into that nobility accent of yours when we're in the middle of a conversation!"

Andy smirked as she stood up, stretching her limbs before tucking the phone into her pocket. "Ah, but it is too enjoyable to witness the change in expression on your face, Lady Rachel."

"I'll kill you!" Rachel threatened, standing with her wet paintbrush in her hand, aiming for Andy who dodged her easily.

"I'd love to oblige, milady," Andy said with a bright grin, bowing lowly, "however I have an engagement."

"Gah!" Rachel complained. "And take your title crap with you! I don't want it in my room!"

Andy gave her a jaunty gave as she chuckled, jumping down the stairs two at a time until she reached the front door and made her way outside finally. With a single whistle for Aeton, she was in Nevada in a matter of seconds, entering into the Lotus Hotel and Casino.

One of the attendants immediately headed in her direction, but he quickly steered to the side when she raised an eyebrow, her hand dropping to the dagger strapped to her thigh. He must be new. The other Lotus-eaters knew better than to approach her, it typically didn't end well for them after the first few had tried. Of course, they weren't really monsters, so it hadn't been like she could actually kill them, but the cuts and bruises tended to dissuade others from trying to convince her to stay.

Andy turned her attention to the crowd of people, searching for that head of dark hair that she had grown so accustomed to. He wasn't as hard to find as she originally thought. Usually she had to go more into the arcade area of the casino, but today he was closer to the front, sitting by the edge of the fountain, playing with his Mythomagic cards while his sister sat opposite him, very involved with a DS.

As if sensing her presence, Nico looked up suddenly and the bright grin that graced his face made her cheeks flood with heat as she approached.

"Nico!" Andy threw her arms around him, his face brighter than the sun as she embraced him, reveling in the feeling of his arms around her briefly. "Hey! You look great!"

He looked like he hadn't aged a day, which was an accurate description, seeing as he hadn't aged for decades. It was sometimes so very hard to believe that he was born around the same year as her mother's parents. In that case, as Marlene often joked, he was far too old to be dating her.

She couldn't help but laugh as he lifted her off her feet at the force of his hug, spinning her around so that only the tips of her toes brushed against the floor. And for that moment she forgot about Perseus and her dreams, about Carmella and her family problems, about Hecate and Chione's betrayal, about Spes' kidnapping. And she just basked in the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, this chapter might seem a bit rushed and sudden in regards to Carmella becoming part of the Jackson family, but I knew that by the end of this 'Book' she was going to be living with them, so all I had to do was figure out the events that led up to that. Keep in mind that Carmella was pretty stunned by the offer, so she's not completely for it quite yet, she needs time to process everything before she legitimately becomes Percy and Andy's sister.
> 
> Don't judge, people, I have a method to my madness, this is how it's going to be written, and that is that.


	5. Betrayal of a Goddess

The principal of Manhattan's Academy of Magic looked across the desk and couldn't help but be a little irked. Andromeda Jackson-Black was sitting in one of the occupied seats, though sitting was a relative term, lounging would be more accurate. A bored expression was etched onto her face, her eyes focused on the clock in the corner as if she could will time to speed up, and Mr. Archer half hoped that the leg of her chair would snap from all the pressure she was exerting on it by leaning back in it. Her newly acquired sister, Carmella, was much better in retrospect. Her strangely colored eyes were set forward, but blank (obviously waiting for when they could leave), but her back was straight, her posture polite. The last two chairs were occupied by the Jackson girls' mother, Sally, who shared no similarities with her biological daughter it seemed, and a small dark-haired boy with Andromeda's eyes, probably her younger brother.

"Miss Jackson, you understand why I had to bring you in?" Mr. Archer inquired.

Sally Jackson arched an eyebrow, making him second guess his assumptions, because she looked quite like her daughter for a moment. "Mella and Andy had mentioned some problems during class…"

He doubted that the girls had mentioned that they were the ones that were the problems.

"It's not our fault that accidents happen when we're in the room," Andy said in an irritated voice, tossing a loose blue curl back (white and blue hair? What had her mother been  _thinking_  allowing that?). "Besides, it's not like you've got proof or anything."

Of course there would never be proof when it came to the Jackson girls. They were very good at hiding their tracks, but that didn't stop anyone else from noticing the amount of  _Reparo'd_  items as if they'd thrown them about in a bit of rage.

"Your daughters are bright in their schoolwork, Miss Jackson," Mr. Archer continued, ignoring Andromeda as best as he could. "However, that doesn't make up for their attitudes, and I mean Andromeda more than Carmella; she has spent almost every day in detention for the past two semesters!"

"I've noticed," Sally said dryly, casting an eye to her child, who rolled her eyes and muttered something in Italian under her breath that made her sister smirk. Mr. Archer ignored that too.

"Andromeda is completely resistant to authority and finishes almost all of her assignments in complete Italian and complains when her grade is reduced because of it!"

"I don't understand why you're taking away from her grade," Sally said carefully, "clearly she's showing her skills as a bilinguist."

Mr. Archer's face turned an interesting shade of red. "She needs to write in English-"

"All of my children have ADHD and dyslexia," Sally said firmly, "Andy likes to write in Italian more than English because it's easier for her to read, besides, are there not translation spells that could be used?"

This interview was not going the way that Mr. Archer had hoped. Clearly, mother and daughter were more alike than he had originally thought, if her daughters' smirks said anything.

"She never changes into her uniform for PE," he continued, only to be interrupted by Andromeda herself.

"I don't like showing off my scars, Mum, that's why he's complaining," she said rolling her eyes, "why don't you just save us a lot of time and just expel us for bad behavior?"

So Andy wasn't upset when five minutes later she emptied out her locker with Harry leaning against the locker door beside it.

"Why didn't the principal like you?" Harry asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. His aunt was always nice to him, but she could also be sarcastic and firm, but she was always good.

Andy laughed, ruffling his hair affectionately as she shoved the last of her books into her bag. "I just have that kind of personality…sometimes I just rub people the wrong way, you know?"

But Harry thought her smile looked a little pained, like she hadn't always been like that.

"I like you the way you are," he told her stoutly, linking his hand in hers. Her sea-green eyes widened in surprise, looking more like the sea in that moment rather than shattered green glass. And then a smile split her lips and her hold tightened on his as she knelt to his height giving him one quick squeeze before leaning back to look at him clearly.

"Oh, what did ever do to deserve you?" she asked him fondly, making his cheeks burn a bright red. Andy allowed herself a small laugh as she stood, taking his hand again. "Did Gran show you your room?"

Harry's face brightened and he nodded fervently.

"Do you like it?"

It was more of an automatic question than anything else; Andy knew that he liked it, but she liked to hear him say it.

"Yeah, it's really cool!" Harry said in excitement, practically bouncing beside her as they walked down the hall towards where her mum was helping Carmella clear out her locker. "And there's so much room! Do you like your room?"

"Yeah," Andy said with a smile, "I like my room quite a bit…"

"So…where're you gunna go to school next year?" Harry asked, switching the topic quickly when the silence stretched on between them.

"I dunno," Andy said, exhaling a long breath. She hadn't actually considered that, all she knew was that she wouldn't be going to Manhattan Academy next year (thank the gods for that! She hated every teacher she ever got!) "But don't worry," she added with a small smirk, "I'm sure I'll think of something."

After all, she thought bitterly, wouldn't Hogwarts be contacting her and Carmella soon based on their British origins and their now apparent lack of a magical school to learn at? Andy just wasn't completely sure if she wanted to go to a school where the name 'Black' was scorned.

* * *

Andy was going insane, again.

Now she'd wish she could have dreams about Mycenae, because her nightmares had come back in full, of  _those days_. Those memories were her worst, and she hardly remembered half of them, which was a relief because they all involved the dark and the excruciating pain that never stopped.

And then she'd wake up in the darkness and think she was back there, back in the cold, black room, with a pair of plum purple eyes staring out of the darkness at her with interest and amusement. Her heart beat so harshly that she thought it was actually going to escape her chest. She practically threw the blankets off her bed as she stumbled out of the room and into the bathroom, fumbling with the light switch. Her eyes looked as wild as they had the day she had escaped, of what little of it she could recall, wild and distant at the same time.

Andy gulped in air as if her lungs had been starved, inhaling and exhaling slowly before turning one of the knobs and splashing a bit of water into her face.

She didn't like her reflection, because every time she looked into the mirror these days, all she saw was her fear, and she didn't like that look at all. She was a Roman! She was a fearless warrior! And here she was cowering from the enemies of her past and fearing her own control over ice. Andy glanced down at her hands, at the material that grew more worn each and every day.

This was the daughter that Neptune had never wanted, she thought mutinously to herself, trailing her fingers over the brand-like scars she had from her years at Camp Jupiter. There were twelve slashes for her years at camp and then there was the trident, through which a vertical line had been etched into her skin permanently. And it wasn't the only one. She had a similar scar to Luke's, only hers descended from her jaw bone, down the side of her neck to her collarbone; a burn mark on her chest, only slightly visible depending on what kind of shirt she wore; a couple deep circular burns on her legs. But those were the only ones that were visible. She had a few more on her back not unlike the lashings a whip would deliver upon flesh, and no one had seen those but the one who had first treated her after she had been found.

"Hello, dear."

Andy's heart fluttered wildly at the sudden voice, turning towards the speaker, reaching for her bracelet before freezing and calming.

It was only Venus, but she looked like a Pure-blood princess…in fact she looked a little like Andy's cousin, Narcissa.

Her blonde hair was pinned up and her eyes were a pale blue, twinkling slightly at her response. Her long black dress clung to her in all the right places. Andy arched an eyebrow.

"I hope you're not wearing that for me, Venus," she remarked dryly, "because you're not at all my type."

"Oh, no," Venus said with a flirtatious giggle, "there was this young man, we went out dancing-"

Andy held up her hands, grimacing. "I really don't want to know."

Venus smirked, her eyes tracing over Andy as if noting the differences since the last time she had seen her. Andy was hardly taller, and the wild disheveled curls of her hair were now barely long enough to brush against her shoulders.

"You've grown since I last saw you," she said.

"Don't we all?" Andy mumbled, more to herself than to the goddess that was the mother of Carmella. "Why exactly are you here, Venus?"

"I'm here for you, of course," the Roman goddess said with a smile, "with a thank you."

"A thank you?" Andy asked flummoxed. "Whatever for?"

Venus' smiled turned much softer at that question; her eyes turned the same shade of violet as her daughter's and the fairness of her hair darkening as it fell from its bindings, thick and golden-brown. Her evening gown shifted to a simple jean miniskirt and a band t-shirt. It was strange to see her looking so…casual.

"I know that growing up with Adomo as a father was rather difficult for her," she said, following Andy as she left the bathroom and quietly returned to the safety of her bedroom. Andy jumped up to sit upon her mattress while Carmella's mother remained standing, leaning against the wall beside the door, "I think a part of me hoped that his views would change once he saw just what a beautiful soul she had…but I guess we can't all get what we want?" She laughed bitterly, sounding older than usual.

"Carmella deserved better," Andy agreed.

"She did," Venus hummed, "and now she has the life she wanted with a family that will love her and a mother that will cherish her, and for that I am eternally grateful."

Andy felt the smile that curved her lips. "No one is going to replace you as her mother, Venus," she promised, "but I'm sure there's more than enough room for her to have two Mums."

"I'm sure there is," Venus granted, leaning off of the wall to approach her, smoothing her hair from her face, "and there is something else, Andromeda…it concerns my son, Cupid."

Andy flinched at his name as if it caused her real pain, but that was to be expected.

"He wishes to separate you from your lover," she said bluntly.

The word lover made Andy's cheeks burn like the sun. It was such a grown-up term more suited for a more mature and definitely older pair than her and Nico; she would have been fine with boyfriend. However, perhaps lover would be better to use, considering their history, ancient history.

"I sense heartbreak on the rise for you, Andromeda Jackson-Black," Venus warned, "and I won't be able to stop it."

"Wonderful," Andy murmured, nesting her cheek on her fist.

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely, "I truly am, I would never cause more damage to you who have borne the most, but…" Her voice wavered and her eyes faded to a dark brown. "I fear he has been tempted," she admitted.

Andy didn't need to be told that, but it was nice to be the receiver of information by a god, nonetheless.

"Thank you," she said, a steely glint entering her eye, "but what kind of demigod would I be if I couldn't overcome a bit of heartbreak?"

Venus' eyes were surprised, but she shouldn't have been. A smile spread across her lips. Andromeda was such a creature of fire, of passion, of anger, of strength without measure, she would have been better suited as a flame goddess during her brief tenure as an immortal. Not many would survive the heartbreak she knew that Andromeda would face, but Neptune's daughter was tougher than most.

"That's my girl," she said, her eyes lightening and returning to the color of violet they had been before. "Don't be afraid to ruffle his feathers a little," she added.

"I never am."

* * *

It was three in the morning, but Andy couldn't go back to sleep, every time she tried, she'd end up right back there and the nightmares were being surprisingly intense tonight. So at long last she threw on some clothes, thrusting her arms through the holes of her worn army jacket despite it now being warm enough that she could go without it. She needed something to do, something to keep her mind busy, at least for tonight.

She needed some…information. Andy's eyes went to the clock, which was still baring the three followed by a zero and a seven. The Library of Congress would definitely be closed by this time, but where there were shadows, Aeton could go wherever he pleased…

The half-wolf, half-hellhound in question lifted his pitch-black furry head from where it had been resting on his paws to stare at her with his glowing ruby eyes. Andy knelt to sit in front of him, scratching behind his ears the way she knew he liked, a low whine leaving his lips. Sometimes it was so easy to forget that Aeton was part-hellhound, but then, Andy mused, who else was going to be her familiar but a bastard offspring of a dangerous monster of the Underworld.

"Want to help me break into a library?" she asked him quietly and his ears went alert instantly as he leapt to his feet, making her stifle her laughter.

Andy ripped out a sheet of paper from her notebook and jotted down a quick note:  _All- Went to a library for some info. Don't worry too much. You probably won't see this note, because I'll be back before you wake up, but just in case. Fulminata, Andy._

Percy wouldn't understand the Latin term, she knew, but it wasn't aimed at him, it was aimed at Carmella.

Andy knelt to whisper into Aeton's ear. "Library of Congress. Washington, D.C."

Aeton stiffened, his size growing as Andy tied her bag of tricks to her belt loop before mounting onto his back as if he was a horse and holding on tightly as they melted into nothing.

The Library of Congress was a close kept secret that only a handful of people knew of. Now, most of them were either dead, immortal, or grown up, more invested in their own lives. It wasn't specific to just Greeks or just Romans, only being known to those who were familiar with demigods and gods. Andy had only been made aware of its presence by none other than Lupa who viewed it as her personal duty to teach Andy all there was to know of the world of the gods.

What was so special about the Library of Congress, one might wonder? Well, there just happened to be a secret room that solely held books on demigod knowledge that was to be coveted (but that didn't mean that Andy hadn't duplicated a few of the books for her own use). And if there was anything on Tartarus in the world, then it would be in there, that much Andy was completely sure of as Aeton skidded to a halt inside the building.

It was dark, but she had been expecting that, it was three in the morning after all…or was it? Wasn't there a time difference between Washington and New York like there was between New York and California? Andy peered intently at the barely illuminated clock at the main circular desk in the reading room. It read midnight, so she was still in the clear, but that didn't stop her from having to duck out of sight, dragging Aeton with her, as a security guard flashed his flashlight close to where she had been standing moments before.

Andy wasted a few precious moments just to be certain he had moved on, far away from where they were before standing once more, motioning for her familiar to follow after her as she moved silently up the staircase, her feet not even touching the ground, but hovering close enough to be mistaken for it (old habits die hard, she mused to herself).

The door she was seeking was clear for all to see, but she knew that most had thought it was run down and locked from the inside, so it was left the way it was. Into the doorknob was carved the Greek symbol Delta which was considered the universal sign for demigod despite its Greek origins. The symbol glowed a bright acid green at her touch as she released the knob, typing out the numbers on the number pad that corresponded with the letters DEMI. She hid her snort; really, it was hardly original.

The door click open and she barely had time to usher Aeton inside and follow before the flashlight fell upon the area outside the door…almost as if the guard had known exactly where she had been standing…

Andy flipped the switch, wincing at the bright light. "Alright…let's see if we can't find some information about Tartarus…"

Now, there were a number of shelves in the room, and they weren't organized by subject, so that made Andy's job more difficult than usual as she searched for anything pertaining to the dark abyss of the Underworld.

" _The Pit of Darkness,"_  Andy read aloud as she picked up a particularly old tome that had seen better days, by Christopher Columbus, son of Mercury…really?" She shook her head in amusement before reading aloud.  _"Tartarus, the lowest section of the Underworld, is a sunless abyss below the reign of Hades himself. Here the most evil are punished, including the Titans of the Golden Age, imprisoned by Zeus after he overthrew his father, Kronos. There are many structures within Tartarus, they and the five rivers are the only constant in the hellish world, for the monsters come and go as they heal and reform. The River Lethe is one to be feared, for even a drop of it against the flesh will bring forgetfulness and loss of memory. The River Styx is the river of sacred oaths which encircles Tartarus nine times before it converges at the center with all the others. The River Acheron is a danger to all, for it is aptly named as the River of Pain, for once you come to close, thousands of voices attack the mind, blaming and begging and screaming; madness will surely ensue should one remain in close proximity. The River Cocytus is just as dangerous as the Acheron, only that it, as the River of Lamentation, fills one with regret and give them no will to continue further. The last river, is the River of Fire, the Phlegethon, which is known both as a river that tortures, and a river that heals…"_  Andy frowned. There was an awful lot about madness (because this is madness, she told herself fervently as if it could change her mind). She trailed a finger downwards over the pages that were yellowed with age, searching for some more information that she could actually use, something that she didn't know…  _"There are few ways to enter into the Abyss of Damnation without being dragged through by one of the gods of the darkness within. One entrance lies in the Underworld that Hades will not even dare to approach, another within the Labyrinth of Daedalus, deep under the earth, one can be found underneath Rome, and the last is known to be located in the House of Hades, an underground temple located in Epirus, Greece."_

Andy paused, frowning hard. House of Hades? She had once heard her uncle refer to himself and his wife as the House of Hades, but she would have never thought of it as a place, much less a way to get into…and out of Tartarus.

She skimmed the next few passages, clearly, or at least, the way Columbus had written it, it seemed that the House of Hades housed something that was known as the Doors of Death, or at least, it seemed that they could appear at the House of Hades for a time. As a door, it worked both ways; go through one and you enter the other. If she tried to enter through the mortal side, she'd end up in Tartarus, but if she entered through Tartarus' side, she'd end up topside. Basically it meant that she had a way out, and one always had to make sure to have an escape plan, especially when searching for an ancient goddess in Greek and Roman hell.

The door shook violently as she ripped the rough sketch of Tartarus from the book, shoving it into her pocket before practically jumping onto Aeton at the sound of whatever was trying to get in, and it was trying very hard.

She didn't have time to give him an order of where to go when he surged ahead, jumping straight into the wall and sinking right through as if they were made of nothing.

Andy thought they were in the clear when something grabbed her from behind, mid-shadow travel and wrenched her off her faithful hellhound hybrid and into the air, sending her tumbling and yelling as the shadow faded to be replaced with rain and mud.

It was Jason Grace's turn to be on patrol duty for Fifth Cohort, but he was more than happy to do so, quite unlike his barrack-mates (Dakota in particular bemoaned his duties, but that was just Dakota). He wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary tonight when something stunned him.

Out of the shadows a small girl appeared, and by appeared, he meant had been thrown. She collided with the trunk of a tree and for a moment she just lay there and then she finally moved, lifting herself slowly, but Jason was already moving towards her, his gold blade, Ivlivis in his hand as he raced to his side.

The pale hair streaked with dark blue hair that defied regulation was obvious as were her angry green eyes once she saw the person who had come to her rescue. Andromeda Jackson-Black was not one who appreciated being saved. He bit back a wince at the fire in her eyes.

"What the ruddy hell are you doing here?!" she spat, struggling to stand. "I don't need any help!"

Jason scowled darkly at her. They had never gotten along, that was very true, but she made it so hard for him to like her. He knew she liked to be a bit of a warrior princess, but this was ridiculous, her head was practically split open!

"Ah, it seems you've found a friend," a soft voice commented and Andy stiffened and stared over his shoulder at the speaker. Jason turned as well, but he did not recognize the cloaked woman.

"Lady Hecate," Andy said fighting to remain calm, for there was a much darker tinge to Hecate's voice than she had ever heard, reminding herself that Hecate was also known as the goddess of the dark side of the moon, and therefore had the power to drop her into Tartarus, "what are you-what have you done?"

Her lips tipped upwards slightly under the hood. "Oh, my dear," she crooned, "I'm giving you what you wanted; a chance to prove yourself." She extended her hands as if bracing them against an invisible wall. "Do tell my creations hello for me, darling."

And then the ground fell out under them and all that Jason could hear was Andromeda's scream.


	6. The Lost and the Seeking

"Life is just a game, either way you look at it."

His voice rang in Andy's ears, familiar and ancient. She blinked her eyes a few times, seeing the smile first, then the eyes, and then the man.

"Perseus," she couldn't help but grumble. "I should have known."

The son of Zeus that haunted her dreams spared her a smile across from the chess board. "Hello, Andromeda."

"Hello," she said, "don't you have anything better to do than give me cryptic advice?"

He arched a golden eyebrow. "The dead have an infinite amount of time on their hands."

"Wonderful," she grumbled.

"How was your fall?"

She scowled fiercely. "You tell me."

He smiled secretively. "Ah, but that would be telling, wouldn't it?"

Andy glared at him. "Why do you always talk in riddles?" she complained. "It's annoying!"

Amusement flitted across his face. "Many, such as I, speak in riddles; it keeps conversation interesting."

"I'll bet," Andy said in a dry manner. "So, why exactly am I here?" She gestured to the chess board before them, a bit perplexed.

"Waiting out the fall, it seems," Perseus mused, gazing around the room with fascination, "Hecate's doing, no doubt…"

"What'd she do to me?" Andy's shoulders sagged slightly.

"Apart from using an enchantment to force you out of shadow mid-travel and drop you into Tartarus? Oh, nothing."

Andy scowled fiercely at him. "I hate you."

"Hate is a passionate emotion," Perseus said amicably. "I wish you the best of luck Andromeda Jackson-Black, but only overcoming your own fears will you hope to succeed in the task set before you."

Andy's eyes flared open as she connected with the water. She instantly struggled to keep her head above the surface, something that had never happened to her before. Being a child of Neptune, breathing under water was pretty much a given, but now…the water, it was strange, there were voices upon voices begging and pleading, dragging her down.

Jason sank like a rock, not moving- unconscious, and despite her hatred for him and the spirits of people she knew that she had wronged in some way seeking to pull her under, Andy dived down, snagging his wrist and beating her legs against the water until they broke the surface once more. Andy was coughing and spluttering and Jason was still out of it.

"Andy, why?"

Andy choked on the water at the nearly transparent visage of Nico di Angelo that stood before her, atop of the water, his dark eyes mournful and angry.

"How could you?" He demanded. "How could you do that? How could you take my  _memories_  from me? They were  _mine!"_

The waves churned around her and she drew her arm back and forward, slowly but surely making her way closer to the shoreline.

"I-I didn't!" she gasped, her eyes wide and shocked, knowing it to be an illusion, but not being able to help responding. "Nico! Your sister! She-she asked me to! She didn't-!"

"I don't care what Bianca said!" he seethed, suddenly looking very much like his father. His eyes were dark flickering flames of madness. "They were my memories! You had no right to take them from me!"

Andy tried to speak but her throat had closed up. What could she say? He was right, wasn't he? She regretted her actions immensely, but that didn't change the fact that she had done them. Bianca had no authority over her, so why had she listened? Why had she bended to her will?

Callie would have said self-blame.

Marlene would have said too nice.

Carmella would have said a good heart.

Andy wouldn't have agreed with Carmella in the slightest. As far as she was concerned, she was the darkest of the demigods, she was cold and harsh, but in that instant, she hadn't been. She had conceded to a demigod who had hardly been into training, a Greek. Andy flushed that thought from her head quickly. What did it matter if the di Angelos were Greek, anyways? Percy was Greek and Harry was partially Greek.

"I'm sorry," she rasped, pulling Jason back and with her as she stumbled onto the shoreline, away from Nico and away from the whispers and taunts of her slain foes. For the first time since her captivity to Nox Bacchry, Andromeda Jackson-Black felt weak. Her limbs felt like lead and her eyes were already closing. She had to fight it! This was Tartarus! She could not sleep! But sleep came for her, whether she wanted it or not.

Her eyes slid shut and her last view of the world was of a sky of crimson clouds, the color of blood. And as consciousness left her, high, high above three immortals schemed, for while Hecate and Chione's plans had already been put into play, Cupid's had yet to, and the agony that would result from his endeavors made him smirk.

Saturn would reward them for their efforts, they were sure.

Lightning struck and the seas raged, and in a deep cave, Asteria, titaness of nocturnal prophecy, narrowed her eyes, a slim finger swirling the water in the basin before her, which shimmered as she spoke in an ancient tongue, the image within shifting to a painfully slumbering child who's betrayal would burn like the flames of Vulcan.

* * *

Aeton whimpered in pain as Carmella touched his leg.

"Shh, shh!" Carmella whispered, petting his nose and holding back tears. She was as close to Aeton as Andy and their friends were, and here he was, bleeding and in pain, and she couldn't help him. "It's going to be okay…Is Harry back yet?" Her voice was just a touch frantic.

The whole apartment was awake now, and it was hardly past five in the morning, awoken by the noise of Aeton's pained yips.

Carmella knew more about healing humans than she did about animals, and Harry was the only one who could travel undetected to Wolf House and not be killed on sight, having Roman blood in his veins as well as Greek.

"No," Percy said, doing a quick once around in case his nephew and appeared and had simply collapsed (which had been known to happen on occasion). One arm was over his mother's shoulders, rubbing soothing circles into them as she gazed ahead in fear, holding her daughter's wand in her hand.

" _Dammit!"_  Carmella pressed a hand into Aeton's side, attempting to staunch the flow, her hand glowing with the healing magic she had learned from the Apollo campers (from both camps).

"Step aside, child of Venus."

Carmella nearly cried in relief at the sound of Lupa's rough voice, and she pulled away, her hands dripping and red and Lupa took over. Harry, though dizzy, rushed to turn on the sink for her, watching with wide, scared eyes as she scrubbed harshly at the blood to make sure none of it remained on her skin.

"Is Aeton going to be alright? Is Aunty?" Harry asked anxiously. His aunt was missing, her familiar was seriously injured…what had happened?

"I-" Carmella couldn't come up with an answer for him.

"Aeton will be fine," Lupa said suddenly, waving a hand and cleaning the blood from the room and the half-wolf.

"Are you sure?" Percy asked, eyeing the slumbering beast and doubting her words. He had lost a lot of blood.

"Quite," Lupa said dryly. "An attack by Hecate is a simple fix, but we have arrived at our second problem."

"Andy," his mother said softly. "Do you know where she is?"

"Her situation is troubling," Lupa agreed. "Even I cannot say." Her serious eyes fell to Carmella's. "You know who you must seek out, child, if you wish for answers."

Carmella blinked before becoming noticeably nervous. "I-I don't know if that's much a good idea…Andy says she doesn't like strangers much…"

"It matters little what Asteria desires," Lupa scoffed. "Andromeda Jackson-Black and Jason Grace are missing. That is two children of the Eldest."

Carmella gaped as the rest watched on in confusion. "Jason? But she hates him!"

Lupa shrugged. "I surmise that he got in the way…you must be quick,  _go now!"_

Carmella practically raced to her room, throwing on some clothes and grabbing her weapons and a few more supplies before returning to the main room. "I'll be back as soon as I can," she promised, the stunned three that remained, "then I'll explain everything, I promise!"

And then she was out of the door faster than they could hardly blink.

Getting to Camp Half-Blood was more tedious than she'd be willing to admit, but the Grey Sisters were fast, so she couldn't really complain as she handed over some drachmae she'd swiped from Andy and stepped through the barrier, past Thalia's Pine.

It was still a bit dark, but the sun was beginning to rise as she hammered on the Ares Cabin door.

A burly teen wrenched open the door to yell at her, but she bypassed him, striding past him to pull Marlene from her bunk and onto the floor.

A pair of angry brown eyes opened and scowled up at the offender. "What the ruddy-Mella?"

"Get dressed and grab Peleus," Carmella said shortly, "we're leaving."

"What for?" Marlene asked suspiciously as more of her siblings awakened and watched the scene slightly but intently.

"Andy's gone, Aeton's been attacked, Jason's disappeared, and Cupid and Hecate might be conspiring with Saturn," Carmella said in a rush.

Marlene stared. "What d'you mean Andy's gone?"

"I mean she's  _gone!"_  Carmella snapped. "She's neither here nor there!  _We don't know!_ That's why you, me, and Callie are going to go and have a chat with Asteria."

"That's a terrible idea!" Marlene said, staring at her like she'd expressed the desire to become a ballerina. "She almost took off Andy's  _head_  with a  _pilum!"_

"Yup! Now get dressed!"

And Carmella stormed out of the cabin to make towards Athena's, thrusting the door open and calling inside. "Callie, wake up! Questing time!"

Several loud groans issued from the brainiacs of the camp and then Callie's dark head and squinting steely eyes appeared. "Why?" she asked groggily.

"Andy's missing, so we're going to have a chat with Asteria, come on!"

Murmurs echoed around the room as Callie struggled to find her way into the bathroom and into a fresh set of clothes and grab her pilum where it was propped against the wall.

"Asteria?" she asked as she shut the door with a snap, attempting to hide her wide yawn. "That doesn't sound like a good idea…"

"But Asteria is the only one who could possibly know Andy's condition," Marlene countered with a nod. "But…where does she live exactly?"

"Inside Mount Everest."

"In-what?" Callie stared at her aghast. "Inside the mountain?"

"Yup," Carmella said sullenly. "And we can't use Aeton, he's still recovering."

"Recovering from what?" Marlene demanded.

"He was attacked by Hecate." Carmella bit her lip. "Lupa healed him up, but it was pretty bad."

"Tell me we're not using the Grey Sisters?" Callie complained, her cheeks so pale they were almost grey.

"They don't do trans-Atlantic," Marlene assured her, "but we need to plan, we should head to Mella and Andy's. We can use the Grey Sisters to get  _there_  but not Mount Everest."

"They always make me sick!" Callie groaned.

"What choice have we got?" Carmella asked rhetorically. "Asteria is Andy's patron, she's the only one who could know what happened to her."

* * *

Jason was the first to awaken, and the sight he saw was not pretty. Crimson clouds, raging rivers, jagged rocks…and he hadn't even seen any monsters yet. There was only one place he could be and that was Tartarus, not exactly a good place to be when you were the son of Jupiter.

He glanced around feverishly for the sight of his companion during the fall. His first thought was that Andy had ditched him, since they weren't exactly best friends, but Andy wouldn't be so cruel, especially in a place like this…there she was!

She was sprawled against the harsh black sand, no doubt passed out from exhaustion. What was worrying was that her olive skin had paled so drastically that that her flesh was almost grey.

"Andy?" he nudged her, but she did not stir. He muttered a swear under his breath, glancing around at the sudden sound of a fiendish roar. They were exposed on the beach, they needed to find somewhere…there!

There was a small cave not far away that they could rest in for now, and wait until Andy woke up, and think up a plan.

Jason lifted her gently over his shoulder, lifting her blade from the sand as his only protection for the time being.

It was no easy thing carrying her to the cave, let it be known. This, however, didn't have anything to do with her weight; he was already weak from the fall and subsequent sinking into the river that he had never felt so drained in all his life that for all he knew, he was carrying dead weight. Thus, it took longer than usual to reach slightly inside the cave. It was silent, so Jason took that as a good sign. No monsters had yet been sighted, also a good thing. But he knew, like all things, this good luck wouldn't last long.

He propped his fellow Senator against the cave wall, but even then she didn't move. Jason gave a mournful sigh. Maybe she wouldn't ever wake up.

But then a slit of green could be seen as Andy pried her eyes open a little.

"You," she rasped, her throat feeling like sandpaper.

"Me," Jason said quickly, hoping for a lack of animosity that she usually showed towards him.

"Survived, did you?" she coughed. "Saved your sorry hide, Grace."

"Yeah." Jason's cheeks flooded with embarrassment. "Thanks for that."

Andy grunted, moving her shaking limbs back slightly so she was sitting up a bit more.

"Why did you do it?"

"Mm?" she mumbled, her eyes fastened on the darkness of the cave as if searching for something, a monster, no doubt. Really, Andy was far too paranoid.  _But for good reason,_  a part of his mind whispered.

"You saved my life," Jason said, fully aware that his voice held a bit of awe.

Andy rolled her eyes. "You're in this mess because of me, didn't see why I shouldn't…fat lot of good it did, eh? Nearly killed me." She hacked a cough and Jason was a little torn on how to help. She looked rather miserable. "It's not nice to have your mistakes thrown in your face."

"Mistakes? What—?"

Andy's eyes were unimpressed. "We fell into the River of Pain, the Acheron, it's designed to force blame on you by using people you feel you have wronged, using that blame to force you into it so it can drown you."

"What did you see?" Jason asked tactlessly.

This was clearly the wrong question to ask, as Andy's eyes burned a much darker, much angrier green. _"Never you mind!"_ she snarled. "It's not your business what I saw, Golden Boy!"

"G-Golden Boy?" Jason choked on his laugh at the look on her face.

"Oh, shut up," she snapped, breathing in and out shallowly. Apparently her temper had done nothing to improve her condition, in fact, it just might have worsened it. Andy patted her side in relief, seeing that her little leather bag of tricks was still with her, tied securely to the loophole of her belt. That was good…seeing as she was without her wand, and she'd left the phone at home (though, she doubted it would work in Tartarus, especially when it became static-sounding in certain parts of the Underworld).

Andy felt a little naked without her wand, but at least she still had Harpe; she doubted she would last very long without Harpe. She gave a silent prayer of thanks, though she couldn't be quite sure of who she was thanking.

_High above an arrow notched in a bow, aiming downwards towards a boy with a head of dark hair who was speaking in an enthusiastic manner. His smirk twisted further upwards as he fired…oh, the breaking of bonds, it was such a wonderfully thing wasn't it?_

"Why're you—" Jason started to say.

But then something went wrong, something went very wrong, indeed. A diagonal slice cut through her shirt and into her skin, the blood seeping into the cloth as her eyes widened, her lips opening into a silent pain-filled scream. It seemed much worse to Jason because she did not make any noise.

"Andy? ANDY?!"

How dare he?  _How dare he?_  Andy's anger rose in spite of her pain. Cupid!  _That bastard!_  He couldn't go after her, so he went after Nico! Or, perhaps that had been the plan all along? Her heart was burning and everything was coloring red to her eyes, she could hardly hear her least favorite demigod as he called her name. The only thing she could truly hear was the erratic thrum of her heart as it beat out of rhythm. She was swimming in a righteous anger, burning in it until it was searing across her skin.

Cupid…she would get him, she would get him if it was the last thing she did in her miserable life. If it meant angering Venus and Mars by doing so, then so be it.

War had already begun.

* * *

"Explain to me this…who exactly is this Asteria chick?" Percy asked, yawning widely as he joined the three girls congregating around the table, looking over a map to where Mount Everest truly was.

"She's a Titan," Callie said shortly, "the one who presides over of the stars and night as well as nocturnal prophecies. She's also—" Callie grimaced. "—Hecate's mother."

"And Hecate's the one who attacked Andy, right?" Percy asked, ducking under one of Carmella's poisonous arrows. "Is that why you're going to see her?"

"Eh," Marlene made a "kind of" noise. "It's one of the reasons, can't deny that."

"Isn't Asteria Greek, though?" Harry asked curiously, holding some supplies for Carmella. Percy wasn't sure exactly why that mattered.

"Smart lad," Carmella hummed, sounding a little like Andy. "Her Roman name is Delos, but she's like Hecate and Nemesis, it doesn't really change her. Andy asked her about that, you know, after she stopped trying to cleave her in two. She prefers Asteria, that's all, but, believe me, you'll  _know_  when you're looking Delos in the eye."

"Didn't the gods all move with western civilization? Why is she still in—" He glanced at the map. "—between China and Nepal?"

Marlene shrugged. "Not all the gods are located in America, besides, she's a Titan, it's probably a good thing she's so isolated, and Jupiter—"

"Jupiter?" Percy asked.

Marlene winced. "Sorry, Zeus,  _Zeus_  knows better than to approach her after the last time…I heard her husband didn't take kindly to his presence."

"Who would?" Callie snorted.

"International Portkeys are a hassle," Carmella bemoaned, "why can't the Grey Sisters go trans-Atlantic?"

"'Cause they're sane?" Marlene offered.

"So, will she know where Aunty went?" Harry pressed.

"Hopefully," Callie grumbled, "worst idea, really."

"Is she that bad?" Percy asked with a canted eyebrow.

"Let's just say she's not a  _people-person_ ," Carmella said mildly, searching for something under the counter.

"Sounds like Andy."

"Yeah, but if Andy attacks you, she's either in a bad mood or you've done something," Marlene said reasonably. "Or you're Jason Grace."

"And who's Jason Grace?" Percy asked.

"No one you need to worry your pretty little head about," Callie said with a smile that irked him and well as a  _'compliment'_  he couldn't appreciate. "They're just mortal enemies, that's all…well, maybe it's a little one-sided; Andy really hates his guts."

"Is he stronger than her?" Harry asked as Carmella reappeared holding a tarnished silver teapot with a DO NOT TOUCH warning label in Andy's writing.

"Psh, maybe if he tried really hard," Carmella scoffed. "Found it! One illegal Portkey!"

"Illegal?" Percy asked, giving her an odd look. "What does it do?"

"It's kind of a…" Marlene screwed up her face in thought. "-a teleportation device, or something…right, Mella?"

"Pretty much," Carmella agreed. "She kind of conned it off Mercu-I mean Hermes at one point; we used to have two. That's why it goes anywhere you want to go, but only for a limited number of times."

"How many does it got left?" Percy asked, eyeing it like it was dangerous.

Carmella checked the side where a two was painted onto it. "Great! Round trip!"

Percy didn't really understand, but there were many things about his sister he didn't really understand. The air Andy lived and breathed was filled with secrets.

"Are you sure you don't need some…I don't know, back up?" Percy asked as they all pulled on winter gear, because there really was no doubt that Mount Everest was cold.

"We'll be fine," Callie said in an offhand almost uncaring manner, "don't worry, I don't think this is the most dangerous thing we've done. We'll be back soon…hopefully." She muttered the last word.

"Hand on the Portkey, people," Carmella ordered, "it's our last one, so you miss this we're not coming back until we've gotten our answers from Asteria."

"Yeah, yeah," Marlene grumbled, placing a hand on with Callie and Carmella.

"Mount Everest at the base!" Carmella said quickly, almost not adding the last bit, but knowing how unruly Mercury's Portkeys could be if you weren't specific.

And then they were rocketing through the air, colors flashing around them.

One step closer to finding some answers.


	7. Asteria's Welcome

Marlene couldn't keep her teeth from chattering at the freezing temperature.

"Y-you sa-aid it was-s go-oing to-o b-b-be c-cold, yo-ou did-dnt sa-ay it wou-uld be-e th-this  _c-cold!"_

Callie screamed, her voice carrying in the wind and two heads twisted in her direction.

She was clutching at her arm, from which a deep red could be seen, dripping into the pale snow and discoloring it.

"Stop!" Carmella yelled as she and Marlene struggled to Callie's side, raising their weapons respectively, their bodies taking on defensive positions as they blocked their friend from the view of her attacker. "We're not here to fight, Lady Asteria!"

"That remains to be seen, Daughter of the Dove," Asteria said, her voice as cold as the environment in which she lived.

Carmella swallowed thickly. She had never met the titaness, but she could safely say that no god or goddess could compare to her. In beauty, she was on a level all of her own, a unique beauty. Her dark hair shone with starlight, swaying in the wind, her blue eyes were hard crystal.

"There is only one demigod who has ever dared to approach me," Asteria spoke in a flat voice, "I see she is not with you…leave,  _now_ , before I show you why  _I_ am the one who is greatly feared."

"Andy's missing," Marlene blurted out, directing the titaness' cold gaze to her, but she held her ground. She was the only one of the three that had actually met Asteria, no matter how brief it had been.

Was it her imagination, or had her eyes become less harsh?

"The child of Mars with a heart of honor and nerves of steel," Asteria said and unwillingly, Marlene could feel her cheeks burning; she was clearly receiving a compliment. Had Andy told her that or was it a conclusion she had come to on her own. "They will not help you," Asteria added cryptically. "Andromeda Jackson-Black's condition is stable."

"Where is she, though?" Callie demanded from behind her friends.

"That would make you Wisdom's child with superior strategic abilities," she mused, more to herself than to anyone else. She cast a glance towards Carmella before turning on her heel and climbing through the snow on agile feet that the three would never be able to replicate.

"What the-?" Marlene demanded under her breath. "I swear she wasn't this much of a bitch when we first met!"

"Sounds like Andy," Callie grumbled, pulling herself upright. "What do we do now?"

Carmella frowned, her eyes still trained on Asteria's quickly moving figure. "I think she wants us to follow her."

" _What?"_  Marlene and Callie's voices melded into one in their indignation.

"Hey! Mella! What d'you think you're doing?" Marlene hissed as Carmella began to climb through the snow, stepping into the foot-holes Asteria had made with her steps.

"Do you want to find out what happened to Andy or not?" Carmella snapped.

"What makes you think she knows?" Callie asked, following after them as they hiked up a slope.

"She said Andy was stable, so she has to have seen her," Carmella said reasonably, her eyes fixed on the black in the sea of white that was Asteria's hair. "Come  _on!_  We don't want to lose her!"

Callie made a complaining noise behind her, no doubt having to do with her injuries sustained from the psycho-titaness.

They climbed higher and higher, but still they were closer to the bottom than they ever would be to the top. The three girls weaved through the snow and over sharp, jutting rocks.

Then the ground disappeared suddenly underneath their feet and they found themselves in a crumpled heap inside a very homey cave.

"I forget mortals are often very slow," Asteria said in such obvious disdain, earning a few irritated mutters from the three fallen girls as they struggled to right themselves.

Callie growled something distasteful under her breath.

"What d'you know?" Marlene asked, being the first to right herself.

Asteria's eyes narrowed just barely. "I know that the child is beyond your reach. It would be best not to concern yourselves with her."

Carmella burst out into laughter, much to the surprise of her friends. "We'd concern ourselves with her, even if we didn't have to," she disagreed.

Asteria eyed her shrewdly, bending forward slightly, and Carmella had to force herself not to step back.

"The location of Andromeda…that is what you seek, yes?" she spoke finally. "It will not matter; she is beyond your help, as is Jason Grace."

"We'll be the judge of that, thanks," Marlene very nearly snarled.

The titaness arched an eyebrow in morbid amusement. "And if I were to tell you that they lie in Tartarus?"

Silence fell so suddenly

"Excuse me?" Callie said weakly.

"Tartarus is what they must survive," Asteria said coldly, "and within Tartarus all shall become clear."

"That doesn't make any sense—"

Asteria snapped her fingers and suddenly the world froze, everything froze, everything except Carmella, who jumped, gazing around in shock.

"Marlene? Callie?" Carmella nudged her friends, but they would not move, so she settled on glaring at the titaness. "What did you do?"

She spared her an amused smirk. "She said you had a spark in you; I see she wasn't wrong."

Carmella took a small step backwards, her eyes betraying her surprise. "Andy? Andy talked about me to you?"

"Andromeda and I spoke of many topics since her…fall from grace, shall we say?" Her lips twisted slightly in amusement. "I am one of her few confidants."

"She told me you tried to cleave her head off…with a  _pilum!"_

"Oh, I did," Asteria agreed, "my husband and I do not take kindly to demigods approaching our humble abode."

"Can't imagine why," Carmella muttered. "If you tried to kill her, then why did she keep coming back?"

The titaness twisted her hand and Carmella was quick to raise her arm defensively, only to relax quickly at the sight of the cup of tea that now rested in her hand. She smirked at the look on the demigod's face.

"Because Andromeda Jackson-Black is a troubled girl with the weight of a prophecy bearing down on her and a past she is desperately trying to forget." Asteria took a moment to take a sip of her tea. "Those are not good combinations."

"So you're what," Carmella snorted a little,  _"a therapist?"_

"Not quite." Asteria's eyes narrowed just slightly. "I tell Andromeda what she needs to know, sometimes I provide her with information, often not…Andromeda has her own contacts for Intel-gathering."

"Why would she need Intel?" Carmella asked flummoxed.

"We've all got our secrets," Asteria said simply. "I can tell you that Nox Bacchry is involved."

"Nox," Carmella said faintly, "…but he's dead."

"Is he?" Asteria asked. "I'm afraid Andromeda was quite…out of her mind at the time; recollection is very difficult."

"We don't talk about that," Carmella said coldly.

"But you wonder about it, do you not?" Asteria pressed.

"That doesn't matter," Carmella said in a dismissive manner that the titaness saw through.

"Doesn't it, though?" Asteria mused. "You know where she is hiding that file that contains everything about those days and nights, the ones that left her broken."

"My sister isn't broken," Carmella snarled.

"Perhaps not anymore," Asteria agreed, "but I remember how she was before. How pale she was, how  _blank_ …a mere shell of her former self."

Carmella flinched, recalling how Andy had appeared suddenly in the camp, out of sorts – _insane_ – and babbling.

"I know where she hides the file," she whispered, "but I won't go near it, that's her business, not mine."

"How kind of you," was all she said, her eyes drifted to the frozen pair behind them. "I would be careful with your friends, little demigod, because one of them is a traitor, and I leave it up to you to discover which one."

Carmella's blood ran cold as Asteria waved her hand, cancelling whatever spell she had cast before, causing the pair to come to life once more.

"Tartarus?" Marlene demanded as if no time had passed. "That's not possible! How can she be in  _Tartarus?"_

Asteria's blue eyes were blank and cold, making Carmella wonder a little if Andy had picked it up from her. "You may blame my daughter for that."

"Daugh- _Hecate?"_  Callie asked, her voice stunned.

Carmella felt like ice. Which one was it? She couldn't tell, they both sounded so honest, so sincere…what did she  _do?_

The child of the Love Goddess took a deep, calming breath, remembering that little rule book she and the girls had come up with years ago, the Rules to Surviving as a Demigod. They kept revising it, but that wasn't the point, one of the rules was: Never show fear in front of the enemy.

"But I thought Hecate was," she started to say, acting as they were.

"Hecate has been warped by Saturn," Asteria said shortly. "Andromeda is a danger to those who fight in his name. She has denied the Lord of Time twice over. Her companions are speed and water and darkness and death, things that would serve well for his army."

"You make her sound…dangerous," Callie said a bit somberly.

"She is a very dangerous individual," Asteria agreed, "she has weathered torture and insanity, the pain of immortality, loss…sometimes it is so simple to forget her true age, but I suspect she likes it better that way. She is, after all, a warrior playing the part of a child."

"Why are you telling us this?" Marlene asked.

Asteria's eyes swept over her. "If Andromeda is to live through Tartarus, she must abandon her previous training. Tartarus is a test of strength above all things, not speed, in that aspect, I must pray she learn very quickly, or the death of a child of one of the Eldest will not be prevented." Her eyes narrowed. "I have told you where she is and her status, now,  _be gone!"_  And with a wave of her hand, the three were expelled violently from the cave to land in a heap at the base, leaving Asteria to wander to the pool, swirling her thin fingers into the water.

"Come, Andromeda," she murmured, "show me I did not choose wrong…show me the skill of Andromeda the Wolf!"

An image swirled before her eyes, an image of a possible future, of a woman with shining eyes and a bright smile, her pale and streaked hair flying in the wind as she laughed.

"Or you will be condemned to that darkness that you so dearly love."

* * *

She was barely lucid when she felt the cold spreading, like ice or frost on her skin.

"Andy, Andy! Wake up! The ice-!"

The ice…Chione…Andy's mind drifted, recalling how the bracelets the snow goddess had once given her shattered and then how the gloves Diana had given her had ripped apart. She was left exposed to the power she couldn't control.

 _But you can_ , a voice in her head told her,  _remember before immortality? Ice was your element more than water…but you lost your nerve._

Andy gave a mental flinch at that thought, but it was the truth.

She had been able to use ice before Chione had helped her perfect it. Her control had practically broken after Winter's death, so how could she possibly…?

 _Control_ , the voice whispered,  _control…_

Andy clenched her fists, imagining the ice receding from her body, and the cold slowly but surely disappeared, and so did she as the world faded into darkness.

"Why is it that I always end up back here?" Andy grumbled in annoyance, looking down at her chest where she had been sliced, but she couldn't see it. She blamed it on her dream; Mycenae… _again._

"Mycenae is your safe haven," Perseus' voice commented in a light voice as he held out a hand to her for her to pull herself up on. "It is a land of peace in the war of your life."

Andy scowled. "Why is it that the dead are telling me more than the living?"

"I am merely your guide," Perseus said in a modest manner that Andy wasn't sure was fake. "Besides, I am bound to your lover, therefore I am bound to you."

Andy's cheeks reddened and then her anger returned in full. "That's right!  _Cupid!_  What did he do?!"

"Ah…" Perseus said a bit awkwardly. "Yes, that's a bit…"

"What?" Andy demanded.

"Well, perhaps you should first know that Nico di Angelo is…bisexual."

Andy blinked and then stared, her surprise evident. "Wait…seriously?" She would have never thought. "But he always…" He had only seemed interested in her. "Why didn't he tell me? I mean, _clearly_  he's into me."

"Clearly," Perseus said dryly. "However, you forget that feeling attraction towards both sexes was something…viewed rather negatively in the era he was born in, and some still view it that way."

"But I don't!" Andy said angrily, stamping her foot hard against the ground. "That would just give me more competition!"

"Cupid has prayed on this," Perseus explained. "He has pushed your bond with Nico to a near breaking point and to the back of his mind. For all intents, you no longer exist to him."

Andy's face fell, her streaked hair hiding her face briefly as she clenched her fists together.

"You cannot stay where you are for long," Perseus added, his voice filled with warning, "the monsters of Tartarus will be coming for you. The scents of sea and sky are strong, and it is not such a good thing ("When is it ever a good thing?" Andy grumbled to herself.) considering where you are."

"Thanks, genius," Andy said dryly, "because I couldn't figure this out for myself."

Perseus gave a helpless shrug.

"Just go," she said with a sigh, "you're bound to Nico, not me, I'll be fine."

But saying those words didn't make them any truer. But he smiled, ruffling her pale hair much to her chagrin. "Ah, you remind me of her…goodbye, Andromeda the Wolf."

Andy blinked at the title she had never heard before as she pitched forwards, Mycenae vanishing from beneath her.

Andy gasped, the pain coming back in full as her eyes opened again, her chest burning like acid. The sound drew Jason's attention to her once more, something she really didn't deem a good thing, especially since she hated his guts with a burning passion.

"Andy? You still alive?"

"'ll skin yer sorry 'ide," Andy said in a pain-filled voice, her teeth gritted together in pain. "Oh, where's Carmella when you need her?"

Jason finally snapped. "Look, I don't want to be down here either, but you don't need to threaten me every so often! I'm only trying to help!"

Andy stared at him, her mouth slightly ajar.

"I know you don't like me, but I've never done anything mean to you before!" Jason continued on his tirade. "I don't know if that's just because you're that way towards everyone, or what, but I don't need it! Just because you think you're the bad one doesn't mean you should act like it all the time! Just because you think your dad hates you doesn't mean that he does! Maybe he's just like mine and is waiting for you to prove your worth, so why don't you just STOP!"

Andy was gaping completely at him now. Never before had someone thrown so much of her bitchiness right back at her face. Part of her was incensed, but more of her knew he was being completely honest.

"I'm…sorry," she said finally, sitting up a little, despite her pain. "You're right."

Jason, who had tensed briefly as she spoke, sagged his shoulders in relief. "So, um," he said a little awkwardly, "what exactly happened to you?" He gestured to the still slightly bleeding skin through the ruins of her shirt.

Andy grimaced before eyeing the son of Jupiter shrewdly. "What do you know about Soul Bonds?"

"Nothing," Jason said automatically, making her crack a smile, though it was quite a bitter one.

"Soul Bonds are the bonds between lovers," she explained, humoring herself as the nearly thirteen year old blushed. "Most are linked through tragic deaths. Generally when one is reincarnated, so is the other, soon after."

"Do you have a Soul Bond?" Jason asked, glancing outside the cave at a sudden shriek, but it was far off and in the distance.

Andy made a face. "It's…complicated…besides, we shouldn't stay here long."

"Where would we go?" Jason asked a bit helplessly.

"The Phlegethon, the River of Fire," she said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"That sounds painful."

Andy rolled her eyes. "It's also known as the River of Healing, and, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm kind of down for the count, and you're not much better."

Jason could find no fault to this statement. "So…how does it work?"

"You drink from it," Andy said in an  _'obviously'_  sort of voice. "Help me up."

It was practically an order, but at least she wasn't insulting him every other word, so that was an upside. He looped one of her arms securely over his shoulders.

"We need to get up to the main level," Andy said, breathing in and out in short hisses, one hand pressing against her chest where the blood flow was the strongest; this was, coincidentally, directly over her heart. Which made sense in a twisted way, with what she was saying about Soul Bonds between lovers, Jason had to assume that the one who was responsible for her wounds was Cupid.

That didn't bode well.

Jason had heard the stories of Cupid's ruthlessness, and Andy's life already seemed like a series of unfortunate events one after the other, she really didn't need any more things to go south for her.

But they were in Tartarus, and you couldn't go much more south than that.

* * *

"Tartarus?" Sally said, her voice faint and her face pale. "How can she be in Tartarus?"

"Hecate," Carmella said with a long sigh, holding a glass of ice water to her forehead to soothe the headache that was hammering against her skull. Marlene and Callie had returned to Camp Half-Blood in low spirits considering where their friend currently resided, and Carmella, for the life of her, couldn't tell which one it was that was the traitor. It made her very uneasy. Unless that was Asteria's plan…what if there was no traitor? What if that was just something she had cooked up? What if Asteria was actually working for Saturn and not any of Carmella and Andy's friends?

That had to be it, Carmella told herself, causing discord is what immortals do best, after all.

"Aunt Mella?"

"Hm?" Carmella was jerked out of her thoughts to stare into Harry's wide and concerned eyes.

"Do people die in Tartarus?" he asked her seriously.

"Andy won't die," Carmella was quick to assure him, "your aunt's made of iron, being in Monster Central will probably only make it worse for the monsters, not her."

Percy could tell she was lying, but Harry and his mother were not so adept at reading Carmella's face. He didn't call her out on it, though, he could see she was very worried for his sister.

Harry's eyes were pools of relief. "How many gods are on Saturn's side now?"

"I'm not really sure," Carmella said shortly, "enough to have the Lupa and Chiron concerned."

"What about Letus?"

"Lettuce?"

"No, Letus, Lee-tus, you know, Thanatos?"

"No," Percy said, rubbing his eyes, "I really don't, but if you want to go with that, then you do that."

"Harry's ancestor, Letus is his Roman name, but even w-the Romans prefer him to stay Greek," Carmella said rolling her eyes, biting her lip a little at how she had slipped up on 'the Romans,' not used to referring to people of her similar lineage in third-person, "and no, Harry, he's on the side of the gods."

"That's good," Harry said, bobbing his head lightly.

"He's Hades Lieutenant, so that's not all that surprising," Carmella mused, more to herself than anyone else.

"What was Asteria like?" Sally asked her adoptive daughter, her hands locked around a long-cold cup of tea.

Carmella didn't speak for a moment, considering a proper word that suited the titaness in question best…the woman had more faces than a Hekatonkheire (the ancient giants with one hundred arms and a face for each emotion)…

"She was…a riddle," Carmella decided, "obviously, she doesn't like demigods much, but she clearly doesn't mind Andy."

"She tried to take off Aunty's head once," Harry reminded her.

"Eh, that's like normal for Andy," Carmella said dismissively, "lots of people have tried to take off her head…usually during War Games."

"Is that like Capture the Flag?" Percy asked, canting his head slightly to the side.

Carmella's smile faltered a little. "A bit more dangerous, I'd say…Andy didn't always play…" Her eyes drifted a bit out of focus. "She wasn't well-liked when we were kids, she said she'd rather listen to the Tiber River as it rushed past…but when she did play, people would attack her first, hope to knock her out early, you know? Strategy and all that?"

"How's that strategy?" Percy asked, a little irked that people would have wanted to knock out his little sister.

"You take out the strongest player first," his mother answered her, finally taking a gulp of her cold tea, "isn't that right?"

"Point to the Mum," Carmella agreed, "I should say she was the most dangerous player…raised like a Roman, fought like a Roman, was willing to die like a Roman…" Carmella blinked furiously for a moment, shaking her head. It felt like she was dead, it really did, like Andromeda Jackson-Black was no longer in the world.

But all she was was in the hell of their world, but people didn't generally survive very long in Tartarus, it was the home of monsters and…Carmella pressed a hand to her forehead, sighing deeply. And Saturn's essence was down there.

"She'll be alright."

Percy reached over to squeeze Carmella's hand in an effort to convey so many emotions that even she couldn't tell each of them separately; they were too intermixed with one another.

"Faith in her abilities?" Carmella asked tiredly. "Percy, I've known her much longer than you, and I can tell you as strong as she seems, she can also be incredibly weak."

"We've all got weak spots, don't we?" Percy said in an unconcerned manner. "Besides, it's not faith in her abilities, it's faith in her spirit."

Carmella's eyes grew dark as she stared out and into the night sky.

"The funny thing about spirits and minds, Percy," she said forlornly, "is that they can be broken."

Andy would know all about that, wouldn't she? She had, after all, experienced and endured a torture that had wrecked havoc on her mind until it was left in fragments that had to be pieced back together with diligence.

Carmella clenched her fist and gritted her teeth.

What would happen to fragile mind like Andy's if she was down in Tartarus too long? What if she broke again, and this time for good?

She sent a silent prayer to her mother for her sister's safe return.


	8. The Taste of Fire

"How long do you think we've been down here?"

"Dunno," Andy said thickly, her accent coming out much heavier than usual. "Time's weird down here."

Time made Jason think of Saturn. "D'you think that's 'cause of Saturn?"

Andy shrugged with difficulty, as one of her arms was secured over his shoulders. "Could be," she conceded, "or maybe it's Tartarus himself."

Jason paled at the thought.

Andy turned slightly (as much as she could) to glance at him. "Try not to think about it, time is the least of our worries right now. First we've got to live through that."

Jason followed her hand to where she was pointing, though she didn't really need to. He could feel the heat from where they were standing, high up on a ledge, a good few minutes walking distance away from the river. The heat pulled at his skin, some patches feeling as though he had burned them, but he was much better than Andy.

Her arm tightened almost painfully over his shoulders, and she could hardly muffle a moan of pain behind her teeth. The stain of red on her shirt was spreading and darkening. She looked half-dead, but Jason was almost certain that it looked worse than it was.

"We can rest for a second," he offered, "give you a minute—"

But Andy shook her head fervently. "Better get this over with," she grunted, grimacing at him. "If we live after drinking that shit, I'll tell you my story, eh?"

"Everything?" Jason asked, completely flummoxed. Everyone knew the story about Andy, how she'd been kidnapped, but as far as he knew, she'd never told anyone anything about what happened to her.

"I was…gunna tell my family…first," she hissed as they slowly descended from a nearby ledge, being extra careful not to trip, "but stuff…kept getting in…the way…"

"But you'd tell me?" he asked, still surprised.

"Gotta start somewhere," Andy said, unconcerned as she almost missed a step, something that would have ensured her falling to her death if not for Jason's grip on her.

Then again, Andy had never been too concerned about death.

" _Ooh!"_  Andy's eyes winced shut and her hand pressed harsher against her heart, the blood wet against her skin. She made no other complaints as they drew closer step by step, and Jason was sure that was by pure willpower, because her face was contorted in agony.

And she wasn't the only one.

Perhaps it had slipped her mind, perhaps she didn't know, or perhaps she was in too much pain to consider it, but the closer they got to the River of Fire (and Jason meant that quite literally), the more Jason felt like he was burning alive, his limbs feeling heavier than lead. He chanced a glance to Andy and was hardly surprised to see boils trailing from her neck up to her cheek.

"Nearly…there…" she rasped, her voice paper thin, as if she was suffering from smoke inhalation as she released Jason's shoulders, swaying dangerously, so much so that she almost fell as she knelt at the bank of the river. "Let's see…if this works…"

Jason couldn't cry out before she shoved her hands into the liquid fire.

It was cold, like ice, as Andy cupped the glowing red liquid in her hands, tilting her head back and allowing it to fall between her parched lips, and it was something she regretted immensely.

It was like swallowing acid, burning slowly down her esophagus, everything was on fire, her boils had exploded, and she couldn't see through her tears of agony.

"Andy?  _Andy!"_

She stilled at long last, coughing and gasping for air, her aching for a moment, but that too passed and soon the only pain she felt was in her heart, a constant stabbing pain.

"Gods, that's awful," she gasped, sitting up.

Jason was staring at her in complete awe. Her injuries must've cleared up, then. Andy stood up shakily, her eyes fastened over his shoulder.

"We've got company," she told him, fingering a small charm on her silver bracelet. Jason blinked as a bow and quiver of arrows suddenly appeared in her hands. She tossed the quiver across her back, removing an arrow and notching it. Jason followed her gaze—

"Jason, drink it, now!" Andy barked, drawing the bowstringing back and firing off an arrow before Jason followed her orders.

"Fucking Empousai," Andy snarled to herself, pulling a new arrow free, "Fucking Hecate, Fucking Tartarus! I didn't sign on for this!"

"Oh, look, girls!" The lead one sang, undeterred by the reforming golden mist that had once been one of her sisters. "Andromeda the Wolf has fallen into our humble home!"

"Don't know why you're calling me that," Andy sneered, her second shot going through the one on the right's chest, turning her into a shower of golden dust as well as she feverishly reloaded.

"All monsters call Neptune's daughter this," the head one smirked, "for no one is more vicious and cutthroat in battle than the One Who Loves Deat—"

The next arrow went right through her forehead and Jason gasped suddenly, the river-fire apparently having done its work.

"I'll show you vicious and cutthroat," Andy snarled to the reforming dust. "Jason, we have to move!"

"Now?" He seemed out of sorts as she grabbed his arm, dragging him along the bank to a small outcropping that they could use as camouflage for the time being.

"Yesterday," she said shortly, pushing him up the rocks, glancing over their shoulders until they were resting against the rock, completely winded.

"I didn't know you could shoot like that," Jason gasped, thumping his chest a little.

"It's not very Roman, is it?" Andy shot back. "Besides, I'm nowhere near as good as Carmella…I don't think anyone's as good as Carmella, which is sad, if you're a child of Apollo."

He chuckled. "You know," he told her, "you're actually kind of funny when you're not being…you know."

"A bitch?" Andy offered with a smirk. "One of my finer qualities, I assure you, I prefer the whole 'lone wolf' thing. I don't try to be well-liked."

"I don't think you have to be," Jason said, leaning back and breathing in and out.

She grunted. "On the plus side," she said with a grin, "at least I'm better at shooting than my nephew."

"You have a nephew?" Jason asked in complete confusion, furrowing his eyebrows towards her.

"Yup, he's English too, and much cuter and sweeter than me," she said reaching into her back pocket to pull out a creased photo and handing it to him. Jason scrutinized the photo. It held three people, smiling and grinning into the camera. The oldest was a woman that must have been her mother, they did look slightly similar, but not by coloring, Andy's white hair was a by-product of her electrocution as an infant and her eyes were obviously inherited from her father. The second was a boy who couldn't have been more than one or two years older than her with dark hair, green eyes, and an identical smile. The last bore a resemblance to the first boy, but smaller, with wilder dark hair, lighter skin, and glasses perched on his nose.

"That's Harry," she told him, "my sister's son. He comes to live with us every two weeks, he's Letus' legacy."

"Oh…Is this your brother?" he asked, pointing to the boy.

"Yeah, that's Percy," she smiled softly, "short for Perseus…he's too… _good."_

"Can someone be too good?" he asked her, handing the photo back, to which she quickly shoved it back into her pocket, thrusting her whole arm into her small bag that Jason had to stare a little. Just what was that bag made of?

"He gives people too many chances," Andy grunted, "last summer, he was far too trusting towards this demigod…it almost got him killed, and his friend Annabeth, she still believes there's some good left in the idiot…not likely…Ow!"

She withdrew her hand, holding a strange gold coin, staring at it like she'd never seen it before. "The hell-?" She glanced to Jason, before extending it to him. "I think this is for you."

He tested its weight in his palm. "What is it?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" Andy demanded crossly, still searching through her bag. "It's not mine, is it?"

"What're you looking for?" Jason asked, hoping to drift to a safer topic.

"I must've left my armor at home," Andy said with a sigh before lowering her voice to a replication of Lupa's. "A true warrior needs no armor."

Jason gave a weak chuckle. "Exactly how much time did you spend with Lupa?"

"Enough to gain all of her bad qualities," Andy said rolling her eyes, before glancing over at him, "what about you? Learn anything worthwhile?"

It sounded like a jibe, but Jason couldn't really be certain.

Andy snickered, but her lips twisted downwards suddenly as Jason pitched forward a little. She reached out a hand to steady him, concern flitting across her face. Jason thought to himself that she must have tried very hard to hate him, given how she was now; she was kinder than he thought, less like the fearless warrior he was so used to seeing.

"You should get some rest," she told him, "I'll take first watch."

"We shouldn't be staying here for long," Jason complained. They were in enemy territory, they should keep moving! But as he thought that, his eyelids began to droop.

"We're in permanent enemy territory," Andy corrected, rolling her eyes slightly at him, "anywhere we go we'll be attacked…it's fine, you sleep."

"Aren't you…?" Tartarus was sapping him of his energy, or maybe that was from the Phlegethon, and he felt as though something was clawing at his very soul. Why didn't she feel like that?

"I've lived through worse," Andy said in a deadpan, "go to sleep, Jason, or I'll have to carry you through Hell myself."

Jason couldn't deny that was in need of some rest as his eyes lid shut against his will, his last thoughts being of her words and recalling the expression on her face when she had returned from her imprisonment, looking every bit as though there hadn't been anything left in her, like she was empty inside.

* * *

Andy kept her bow threaded and her eyes alert. Tartarus was by far the most dangerous place she'd ever been in and she could not afford to let down her guard. Andy breathed in and out sharply, steadying her grip on the bow. She wasn't as good as Carmella, not by a long shot, but long range would have to do for now; she couldn't leave Jason undefended.

"Oh, how the tables have turned," she murmured to herself, a wry smile warping her lips as she recalled fellow Senator Bill Weasley's words from what was probably ages ago.

" _You two would probably be good friends if you weren't determined to hate him. You're more alike than you think."_

Andy had originally scoffed at the idea.  _Her?_  Be friends with  _him?_  Never! But times had changed. They were no longer the foolish children they had once been. Jason had the makings of a great praetor, not her, she was the warrior who belonged on the front lines.

Andy's fingers curled tightly around the drawstring of the bow. She did not dare to close her eyes, she was not sure she wanted to see what would happen if she did so; she sincerely doubted that she would ever awaken.

"You will awaken, Daughter of the Sea God, this time."

Andy jerked back, gazing around herself violently, her hand reaching for the wolf head-shaped hilt of her blade, not recognizing her surroundings. She did, however, recognize the woman who had spoken quite easily.

Her hair was dark this time and plaited to her head tightly, not unlike how Andy used to braid hers (though, that was when her hair was long enough), her eyes just as dark and shining.

Andy's sword was in her hand and raced forward, anger fueling her, but she was thrown aside by a quick blast of air. Andy collided with the ground, Harpe being flung from her hands.

"I mean you no harm," Hecate said calmly.

"Oh, really?" Andy snarled clamoring into a standing position. "Because the last time I checked, you had me thrown into Tartarus with Grace, and Hell isn't a walk in the park, in case you weren't aware." She attempted to move forward only to discover shackles at her wrists. Andy tried to wrench them free to no avail.

Hecate's smile was wry. "I am the goddess of crossroads, choices, young one. It was fated that you would come to Tartarus, the only question was how."

"I trusted you!" Andy said in anger. "I protected your sacred house!"

"And then it was  _burned to the ground!"_

Hecate's voice echoed loudly, her anger vibrating the room, causing Andy to recoil slightly.

"That," Andy said carefully, the faces of those that had perished burned forever into her mind, "was not  _my_  doing."

"You found the traitor too late," Hecate said coldly, "and even Ethan Nakamura was only a pawn to the true traitor."

Andy froze in her place, her heart turning to ice. "What?"

"You have a traitor in your midst," Hecate very nearly purred, her dark eyes twinkling, "I wonder if you can root them out before more death follows them?"

Andy couldn't help but growl. "Why bother telling me this? I'm in Hell because of you!" Frost and ice formed around her shaking fists.

"What is that old saying?" Hecate mused. "Knowledge is power?"

A scowl formed on the daughter of Neptune's lips and her scowl darkened. "Asteria—"

"My mother is none of your concern at this moment," Hecate said coolly, "if I were you, I'd be much more worried about how to get out of Tartarus when the only exit is the Doors of Death."

Befuddlement warred with the anger that was ever so present on her face.

"Come now," Hecate said in amusement, "surely you did not think that leaving Tartarus was easy, Andromeda Jackson-Black?"

Andy said nothing, her heart throbbing painfully in her chest.

"The Doors of Death only work if someone remains, pressing a button for twelve minutes, you foolish child," she spat, "even demigods are bound to this. Not even you, prized by Jupiter himself will be spared. And doors open from both sides so you must have someone on the mortal plain to assist you, or all is lost."

The ice was now covering Andy's wrists as she glared venomously at the titaness, straining violently against her bindings.

"I come bearing another choice for you to make," the Goddess of Magic continued. "If you forgo Spes and journey to the Doors, I will make your return less difficult."

"But?" There was always a downside, that much Andy had learned from experience.

"But," Hecate smiled in a way that wasn't remotely beautiful, "the tide in the war that is to come will turn in the favor of your enemy without the Spirit of Hope at your side."

Andy gritted her teeth.

"However," she added, "if you choose to stay…if you choose Hope over safety, your journey will be more difficult than you imagine. I believe you've noticed that Tartarus has a rather _adverse_ effect on Jason."

"Then why isn't it taking all of my energy?" Andy demanded.

"You cannot break that which has already been broken."

Andy's face went white at her words. The shackles felt tighter on her wrists, cutting into the flesh as her hard and icy fists went limp.

"I'm sure you can remember those days," Hecate said in a sickening voice, pleased by her reaction in an almost morbid fashion. Andy supposed she deserved that, for the events surrounding the destruction of Hecate House. "Back when you were  _nothing_ , a mere shell of your former self."

The demigod's eyes back dark green angry pits where her eyes should have been and her hands clenched slightly into claws, the tips of her fingers sparking with electricity in a way they hadn't done for a very long time.

"But sooner or later you will feel Tartarus' pull," Hecate said with relish. "And I will await it quite eagerly."

Her eyes fastened on Andy's angry ones. "Consider my choices, young demigod, because you with all of your strength and skill will only last so long in the depths of Tartarus."

* * *

"You should've 'woken me up."

Andy jumped violently at the sound of Jason's voice and her heart beat uncomfortably fast, making her wince in pain.

"You alright?" he asked, taking note of the wild expression in her eyes. "Did something happen while I was out?"

"Oh, you know, the usual," Andy said, forcing her voice to calm, "a couple Empousai, the Minotaur, a few hellhounds."

"Your usual isn't my usual," Jason said, slapping his face with his hands, rubbing at his eyes as he sat down beside her. "Did you sleep at all?"

"A little," Andy conceded, her eyes still focused outwards, "and then I woke up with the Minotaur standing over me." She lifted her shift slightly so that Jason could see the large bruise forming on her side. "It wasn't really pleasant for me."

"I slept through that?" Jason said, slightly struck.

Andy shrugged, digging through her small bag again to pull out something to hand to him. "You were tired…Granola?"

"Seriously?" Jason said, but he took the granola bar from her. "Just what all is in that bag of yours?"

"A number of things," Andy said evasively, examining her silver charm bracelet with a frown as if deciding which weapon she wanted to use next. "I saw Hecate."

Jason choked on his bite of the granola bar, swallowing with difficulty. "What?"

"Demigod dreams," Andy said as if that would clear up everything. She released her grip on her trident charm to poke gently at the sharp ground. "If you had to choose," she said slowly, "between Hope or Safety…what would you choose?"

He looked at her, he looked at her so long that she began to shift uncomfortably under his gaze.

"I'd choose what you'd choose."

"You don't know what I'd choose," Andy said in a stout voice.

"You'd choose Hope over Safety," Jason said, cutting her off.

She wrinkled her nose at him slightly. "Perhaps."

"Don't you like it when people agree with you?" Jason asked, slightly amused.

Andy shrugged before stretching her arms out. "Alright, so, since we don't know where exactly Spes, I should probably tell you how we're going to get out of here, and the only way to do that is through the Doors of Death."

"The Doors of what now?"

"The Doors of Death," Andy explained patiently. "They're the only way out of Tartarus, Letus is in possession of them, it's how he travels between Tartarus and the Underworld. If we follow the Phlegethon, we'll eventually reach the Doors of Death, which is kind of like an elevator that will take us back to the real world…the mortal world?...whatever…"

"So what's the downside?" Jason pressed.

"The only way to use the Doors by someone other than Letus is by pressing a button for twelve minutes, on  _both_  sides. Well, twelve minutes on this side, you only need to hit it on the other side," Andy conceded.

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "But the only way that would work would be if someone stayed behind and someone on the other side knew."

"Camp probably knows all about you going missing," Andy sighed, pulling out a plastic water bottle from her bag (Jason couldn't be surprised any more) and offering it to him, "and my family's probably worried sick, and so are Marlene and Callie, probably…but the Doors of Death change their location a lot."

"So, we're doomed?"

She punched his shoulder. "One thing at a time, Golden Boy, maybe we should worry about Spes, because the only way we're getting out is with the goddess."

"Sure, right, let's do that," Jason said, bobbing his head slightly, "but that's not really a good idea, you know, not having an exit strategy."

"Call it a family trait," Andy said with a grunt as she stood, extending a hand to him. "Come on, Spes isn't going to find herself."

Jason's coin glowed, elongating into a pilum as he stood.

"You look like hell," Andy told him, glancing him up and down.

"You're one to talk," Jason snorted, gesturing to the dried blood on her shirt as well as the many rips.

"Only difference is…hell looks good on me," Andy said with a smirk, dangling her blade from her waist as she notched another arrow in her bow, hopping out of the cave and onto the sharp terrain.

"How can you do that?" Jason asked as they climbed with difficulty up a slope towards the level plain (or as level as ground could be in Tartarus).

"Do what?" she called behind her, careful to keep her voice from being so loud.

"You know…not freak out that we're in Tartarus," Jason said, glancing around nervously at the strange noises that echoed around them.

"Freaking out is not going to help get out, is it?" she asked rhetorically, before leaning back and hissing in a low voice.  _"Stymphalian Bird, shh!"_

"Can you hit it from here?" Jason murmured, eyeing the Bird as it gave echoing cry.

"As lovely as it is that you believe so much in my archery skill," Andy muttered back, "even if I could hit it, which I can't, I wouldn't; we've attracted enough attention as it is."

The Stymphalian Bird flew close to them and they had to lean further into the rock to avoid being seen.

"It doesn't really help when you have light hair, I suppose," Jason added.

Andy was forced to smother her laugh. "No, I suppose not." The Bird began to flap its wings, heading in the opposite direction, allowing them to resume their walk.

"I've got a question," Jason said not too much longer, causing Andy to sigh slightly.

"Everyone does when it comes to me," she said, making a small wave with her hand as if to say 'continue.'

"When we first met your last name was Snow, but now it's Jackson-Black, why is that?" he asked.

The demigod of the sea was so surprised that she released a short laugh. "Of all the things…and you go for that?"

Jason's cheeks reddened. "Well, I'm curious!" he said defensively.

A smirk twisted her lips briefly at his response. "Snow was the name Lupa gave me, I think it was meant as an insult."

"Why?" Jason asked, a little flummoxed.

"Being pure as snow…it meant something along the lines of me being too kindhearted." Andy rolled her eyes slightly. "Obviously she beat it out of me."

"I think you can be kind," Jason blurted out, his embarrassment rising at surprised expression her face bore once more. "I mean, when you want to be…you stuck by me while I slept even if you could have gone and left me to the Empousai."

"But that would be…I would be leaving you undefended," Andy argued, "that would be a different level of heartless!"

"Exactly."

Andy stared at him for a moment, opening and closing her mouth wordlessly before chuckling. "You're very good, I'll give you that."

"Thank you."

"And since we survived the Phlegethon," Andy added, filling Jason with anticipation, "I'll tell you my tale of woe."


	9. The Unfortunate Tale

_Partner missions grated on Andromeda's nerves in a way that few things could. This wasn't really an issue if she was working with people like Marlene, Carmella, or Callie, but the Senators had a wicked streak and she had a terrible attitude, so it was remarkably unpleasant._

_Except for last week, that mission hadn't been too bad considering. Her partner was manageable and the monsters weren't too tedious. They had ended up in the Lotus Hotel and Casino at one point, and she had vaulted over a balcony in the process colliding with someone on the floor below. The boy was particularly memorable with eyes a soft, dark brown and a smile to match, and she could have sworn that she had seen somewhere before._

_But that was a week ago, this was now._

_Andromeda tugged the Felmar brothers forward, a sudden crunch of a branch breaking forcing her attention to the woods that surrounded them on all sides._

" _I told you we should have taken the shortcut," she growled lowly, "but did you listen? No."_

" _Quiet, Snow!" Tom, son of Janus, barked to her, a scowl prevalent on his face. Andromeda didn't blame him; she'd nearly drowned him in War Games a few weeks back (a vindictive pleasure rose with the memory)._

_Her lips thinned into a frown, her sea-green eyes glinting in the semi-darkness. "We would have been past the Tiber River by now if it wasn't for you!" she snapped. "This way is too long and the monsters—"_

_Tom crumpled to the ground instantly as though he was a marionette whose strings had suddenly been cut. Andromeda froze in her tracks, swallowing her bile as she took in his sightless stare and the bloody wound to his throat._

" _Colin." Her voice jerked the older of the two boys out of his trance of terror. "I need you to take your brother and run for the border."_

_The boy looked like he wanted to argue with her (she was after all, two years younger than him), but something in her eyes changed his mind and he nodded mutely, taking little Marc's hand and fleeing into the darkness as Andromeda unsheathed her weapon, but she was too slow and a decisive hit to the base of her skull made her fall to the ground much like Tom had, leaving her in a world of darkness._

_She awoke to a world of darkness too._

_Andromeda wrists stung and once she lifted them she knew why. Shackles; made of reinforced Imperial Gold so that not even if she was a being of great strength could she break free of them. She glared out into the darkness, panic and rage rising inside of her, like a wave that would not break._

" _Who's there?" she demanded, keeping her voice low so that the tremble would be indiscernible. "Show yourself!"_

_A man stepped out of the shadows, his eyes a deep, dark purple, a contrast to the bright violet of Carmella's eyes. The light in his eyes was terrifying; over bright and malicious._

" _Hello, Omega," he said, his voice making her skin crawl._

" _My name," Andromeda said through gritted teeth, "is Andromeda Snow."_

" _Not anymore." In the darkness she could still see the gleam of the weapons and she swallowed thickly._

"Why'd he take you, though?" Jason asked in confusion, his brow furrowing. "Was it because you were Neptune's daughter?"

Andy scowled slightly, irritated at having been interrupted, though at the same time a little relieved; it was not a story she had ever told before, and it was not one she would ever take pleasure in telling.

"That was my first assumption," Andy admitted, "but he was more interested in a different matter." Her eyes became somber. "I can't say that my bloodline wasn't a…source of intrigue –seeing as Neptune has never had any daughters, Poseidon, yes, but Neptune, no– but let me ask you this…do you know what the first Perseus and Andromeda were like in battle?"

"No," Jason said honestly. Did anyone alive know? Stupid question, wasn't it? He supposed it was one of Andy's many dreams.

"Well, they were pretty deadly," Andy said, putting a mild spin on it. "Perseus was a son of Zeus, capable of calling down lightning and storms from the heavens, and he excelled in close combat, Andromeda, on the other hand, was a distance fighter, blessed by Artemis with superior ability with the bow. They didn't fight together much, but when they did—" A smirk flitted across Andy's face, showing her pleasure that Jason was sure wasn't completely her own. Then it faded. "Soul bonds are complicated things."

"What exactly are Soul Bonds?" Jason asked, the words falling strangely from his tongue.

"A bond between souls," Andy said in a dry manner, rolling her eyes for good measure, but the smirk failed like it did before. "Sometimes…sometimes love is so strong that time has no effect on it. Live, die, rebirth. The souls always find a way back to each other, though, like…magnets." Her mouth twisted as though she had tasted something bitter. "And if there was something Saturn didn't want working against him, it would be the souls of Perseus and Andromeda."

"So…Bacchry was one of Saturn's agents?" Jason said carefully.

"You could say that," Andy said with a careless shrug. "You could also say that having a mind-broken daughter of Neptune would also be quite beneficial for his side; one less powerful person to worry about." Andy's eyes darkened and a smirk formed on her lips. "Just wait until he meets Nico in battle one day, he'll give him a run for his money, I'm sure."

Jason's eyes rested on hers for a long moment and Andy found herself recalling the ghost of his sister that she had often spoken to when she was a goddess…their eyes were the only features they shared.

"Get some sleep," Jason said finally, "I'll take first shift."

Andy opened her mouth to disagree, but all she could do was yawn widely. She was pretty tired…maybe a short break wouldn't be too bad.

* * *

Nico di Angelo had a strange dream that night, one that seemed to be entirely about the same girl he'd seen for the past two nights.

He'd never seen her before, that much he was completely sure of. He was certain that he would remember a girl with eyes like shattered green glass and hair of spun white and blue. The combination was strange, but Nico was sure it would've been strange if the girl hadn't looked like that.

She was falling from a balcony with a wild cry, her face young and surprised as it collided with his head, sending them tumbling.  _"Sorry,"_  she said, stumbling to her feet, her sword glinting in her hand.

He asked her name.

" _Andy-gotta go!"_

The girl was older, still a child, but not. Her eyes were cold and remote, distant. Electricity crackled around her and frost built up under her fingers, turning the railing to ice. There was blood on her hands, a girl nearby from which it must have come.

" _There will be hell to pay!"_

Her eyes were beautiful, and he told her so. They twinkled as she laughed, swinging her legs like a child.

" _My eyes are boring."_

She was angry, the electricity thick in the air as she sobbed over the body of a fallen girl, all her sorrow and rage leaving through her tears.

" _Traitor!"_  she screamed.  _"A life for a life, and you will pay with your own!"_

" _Stand back!"_  She commanded, raising an arm to stop the others from moving forward. The raging waves were nearly upon them.  _"Evacuate!"_  She spun the trident in her hand, stabbing it into the earth as she raised her hands towards the wave that threatened to swallow her. She gritted her teeth together and pressed forward as if to push against a great force. For a moment neither side gave, but then the girl gave an almighty scream that echoed and the wave fell back. She went boneless, sinking through the rapidly moving surf.

She was wearing a purple toga that spoke of her rank, sitting in a stone seat that seemed rather like a throne only because it held her. Her eyes were hard.  _"Get him out of my sight."_

" _You could have had him executed."_  The dark-haired girl was questioning her.

" _I could have,"_  the white-haired girl conceded, her fingers straightening her chainmail,  _"but what would that have solved?"_  Her eyes met the girl's.  _"A great warrior must know when to take a life and when to spare one…it's a lesson you must take to heart if you wish to succeed me."_

The first girl spluttered.  _"Succeed? My lady—!"_

" _Reyna,"_  she froze at the use of her name, " _you have as great of a destiny as I do. You are not second best to your sister; you are yourself."_

There was silence around the room and she stepped forward, her expression stony.  _"I will be the barrier between Greece and Rome."_

The earth had erupted, standing between two vast armies, one clearly having the advantage over the other, and from that chasm erupted a wall of water. She sat at the center, her eyes closed, her focus on the wall behind her, guarded on both sides by an archer. The one on the left had violet eyes and an elfin face, the one on the right had sea-green eyes and a thin face.

" _You're an idiot,"_  she told him, her voice fond as she cupped his face in her hands.  _"A stupid wizard-demigod, that's for sure."_  She leaned forward to kiss him.  _"Don't you ever do what you're told?"_

She curled a strand of blue hair around her finger, deep in thought, then her concentration broke and she looked up with a bright and obvious smile.

" _Only fools fall in love fast,"_  she scoffed, linking her fingers with his.  _"We aren't fools."_

Her eyes were serious as she knelt by a blonde-haired girl who was sweating and exhausted, her arms trembling with the strain of holding something Nico could not see.  _"You won't last much longer, Annabeth,"_  she begged, _"give me the weight of the sky!"_

" _You'll be crushed!"_  the girl gasped.

" _You'll die soon,"_  she responded, bracing herself to take the weight as the blonde slipped out from under.

" _Something Britons have clearly forgotten,"_  she hissed through the bars of a prison to a man beyond,  _"is that everyone deserves the right to a trial. I'll get you out of here, Sirius, I swear on the River Styx."_  The crackle of lightning above foretold of the oath being struck.

She threw her arms around a boy slightly older than her with eyes nearly the same shade but hair a messy black.  _"Percy! Congrats on actually passing!"_

" _Ha-ha, you're so funny,"_  the boy responded, rolling his eyes.  _"You're the worst little sister."_

" _No, I'm not,"_  she laughed.

A wolf approached Nico, who jumped violently. All that he had been seeing were fragments of mist more than anything. This wolf was clear as day and darker than shadow as well as larger than Nico thought wolves were supposed to be. It bared its teeth and opened its jaw and misty words left it.

_Defeater of champions, of monsters and men,_

_The toll shall strike once again_

_For in their path, Saturn will fall,_

_Not by their hand, but by their will, that is all_

Nico woke up with a start, glancing around the room in confusion. Bianca was still asleep, undisturbed by whatever had distressed him. And as Nico laid bad down, he couldn't for the life of him recall what exactly he'd been dreaming about.

* * *

Everything was a haze and Andy could hardly make out what was in front of her. She stumbled, leaning against the wall until she had made her way through the exit.

Andy screamed, losing her grip and clinging with desperate fingers to the cliff-face, golden eyes appearing above her. A hand was extended to her, but what little she had of her sanity recoiled. Her fingers slipped and she fell.

Andy woke up with a start, breathing hard and swinging the first weapon she could grab, a silver knife.

"Whoa! Easy!"

Andy blinked in surprise, gazing at the boy who had spoken. The flash of gold terrified her briefly, but Jason's hair was too light to be considered the same gold of Saturn's eyes. And then everything cleared and Andy realized she was holding the knife to Jason's throat. She faltered, quickly releasing him and retracting the blade from his throat.

"S-Sorry," she stuttered, looking a bit out of sorts as Jason coughed several times to right himself.

"And I thought I had bad dreams," he said, trying to laugh it off, but his voice rang with a fake note. "You alright?"

"I'm—" Her words choked on 'fine' before she could force it out. "I'll sleep better when we're out of here."

"You and me both," Jason muttered in agreement, offering a hand to Andy to use to pull herself upright. Andy eyed it suspiciously for a moment before sighing and gripping it tightly with her own. "Got a plan on where to look for Spes?"

"I've always got a plan, usually some very foolish ones," Andy admitted, replacing the dagger in a compartment in her boot. "But there is something that's bugging me…"

"What kind of something?" asked Jason, his fingers roving over the surface of the golden coin.

"Bill told me about a rumor he heard on a quest when he was a kid…about monsters gathering together for a series of 'games' like the Olympics from back in the day. The champion is the one who gets to take the elevator up to the physical world first…it's entirely possible that Spes could be a spoil of victory," Andy mused, tapping a finger against the wolf-hilt of her sword. "I'd say it's the best plan we've got…but we should try to get out of here within the day." Concern flickered through her eyes as she pressed two fingers to his neck where his pulse-point was located. "We've been here too long and you won't last much longer."

Jason scoffed, swatting her hand away, but he had a feeling she was right, the longer they were in Tartarus, the worse he felt. He didn't know how he looked but he suspected it was worse than Andy whose bi-colored hair was tangled and matted with eyes over-bright from lack of sleep and bags under her eyes to match, and that was without taking into account her bloodstained clothing.

"There's only one problem," Jason interrupted her apparently very deep thoughts if the crease of her eyebrows was an indicator. "Monsters will spot us right away as demigods."

"They might…or they might be convinced," Andy said, shrugging her shoulders, a slow smirk spreading across her lips.

"What're you planning?" Jason asked, narrowing his eyes slightly as he crossed his arms.

"Something stupid…and crazy." The smirk was a full-on grin now. "But don't worry, I'm sure it'll work."

Jason gave her a dry stare in response. "Somehow, I'm not convinced."

"People rarely are," Andy laughed, "it's my winning personality."

"I'm sure that's it." Jason's eyes narrowed shrewdly as Andy dug through her pouch. "How are you going to bypass the monsters? You'll reek of demigod."

"We," she emphasized the two-letter word, "are going to douse ourselves in blood and dirt so that they think we've just recently slaughtered some demigods."

All the blood fled from Jason's face. "W-What?"

"Brilliant, yeah?" Andy asked, grinning brightly in a way that was slightly scary.

"Sometimes I forget how incredibly insane you are," Jason said, before realizing a second too late what he had said.

"We've all got our special skills," Andy said, her palms open-faced, "some people call down storms, others embrace the crazy."

"Is your family like that too?" Jason asked, blinking at her.

"Well, Harry's a bit reckless," Andy mused, "Percy might have a death wish…I think Carmella is the one who is the most sane of us all…closely followed by my mother…now what I need is some blood…"

"You don't seriously have blood in that bag?" Jason asked aghast, his mouth gaping at her as she continued to dig through her small bag.

"Yup!"

"You know how creepy that is?"

"Definitely." Andy's grin was just a tad scary. "Don't worry, it was Carmella's idea, for transfusion purposes."

Jason just stared at her. "Your family scares me."

"Oh, we scare a lot of people," Andy said, waving her free hand in an uncaring manner as she withdrew a small box with the symbol of Asclepius on it. "Don't worry, it's not just you…it might be more Percy, actually."

"How can your brother be scarier than you?" Jason wondered.

Andy rolled her eyes. "Powerful people always incite fear, Golden Boy, especially ones from the God of the Sea…Percy's just got a way with words."

"Great," Jason muttered, the color leeching from his face as she withdrew two bags filled with bright cherry-red blood, "just great."

"So, ready to get bloodied up?" Andy's grin was so wide and bright that Jason half-wondered if she was enjoying being in Tartarus. Then again, this was Andy he was talking about, the air she breathed was battle, so the idea of walking into a monster-infested area covered in blood to fight other monsters for the right of Spes could hardly be daunting.

Jason gave a long slow sigh. "Let's hope this works."

Andy broke the seal on a bag with her teeth, still grinning. "Let's go kick some ass, Golden Boy."

"And you have got to come up with a better nickname than that," Jason said in annoyance, making her laugh.

* * *

"This is so crazy," Annabeth said in shock, her grey eyes stunned. "I just saw Andy a few days ago! But…Tartarus?" Annabeth, -who had been invited by Percy- Carmella, and Percy were all gathered around the kitchen table. Harry would have joined them, but it was Petunia's week to have him (reluctantly), so he had left three days previously.

Percy swallowed his blue-colored apple juice thickly. "I know…remember how that place felt when we were in the Underworld last summer?"

Annabeth nodded mutely. "How many days has she been in there?"

"Six," Carmella said, exhaustion apparent in her voice as she set a cardboard box on the table.

"What's that?" Percy asked, eying the box distrustfully, as if it was the reason for his sister's disappearance.

Carmella opened her mouth to respond when the bell buzzed. She frowned at Percy. "Your mom didn't leave her keys here, did she?"

"Jackson! Buzz me in, or so help me!" an irate voice could be heard through the speaker.

Percy grimaced and Carmella winced.

"Who's that?" Annabeth asked in interest.

Carmella could feel a headache coming on. "That was the ever-lovely Rachel Elizabeth Dare. She's Andy's friend…and a witch."

"Oh…"

"You can come up now, you art freak!" Carmella called into the speaker in return, pressing the buzzer and unlocking the door. A few minutes later, a harried looking girl entered into the apartment. Annabeth had to say she was a bit surprised by her appearance. Bright red curls were held at bay only by a bandana, paint was splattered across her cheeks and her clothes, a paintbrush was tucked behind her ear and a sketchbook was clutched in her hands.

Her green eyes were irritated. "Where's Andy? Wait- don't answer that, because I already know."

"How could you—?" Percy started to ask when she spoke over him.

"You didn't think that demigods were the only ones who could have weird god-dy dreams, did you?" she demanded.

The three demigods in question looked at each other in surprise before answering as one. "Yes."

Rachel smacked her forehead, pulling a short smear of green away on her hand. "What did I do to deserve this?" Rachel muttered to herself as she flipped through her sketches to force one into Carmella's hands with Annabeth and Percy moving to look over it. It was of a great dark hole into which two children had fallen. The girl had to be Andy, but the boy…

"Who's the dude?" Percy asked as Carmella returned the sketchbook to Rachel.

"Jason Grace, Andy's rival," Carmella said with a sigh, inviting Rachel to join them with their somber blue apple juice (she blamed Percy for that), which she did. "They fell into Tartarus together, I'm pretty sure that was an accident, though, from what Asteria said."

"Great," Annabeth muttered before introducing herself to Rachel. "Hi, I'm Annabeth, daughter of Athena."

Rachel shook her hand with a grin. "Rachel Elizabeth Dare, mortal, witch, artist."

"Well, we can't just go marching into Tartarus to find her," Carmella said, leaning back slightly in her chair before pulling a thick file from the box she'd brought out onto moments before. "We'll just have to wait it out."

"But what if she doesn't come back up?" Annabeth asked, her eyes flickering to Percy whose expression was far darker than she'd ever seen on his face (the look itself wouldn't have looked out of place on Andy's face, truth be told).

"She'll come back," Percy said with surety. "If there's one thing she's good at its reappearing once you think she's lost."

Annabeth knew he was thinking about the time Andy had popped back into his life when they were kids.

A black and white photo slipped out of the file that Carmella was examining and Rachel bent to retrieve it.

"Hey, I know this guy!" she said, realization coloring her eyes a brighter green.

Carmella took it back from her and frowned, anger flashing in her eyes. "That's Nox Bacchry, son of…Dionysus. He's been dead for almost six years."

"No, but I saw him in one of my dreams," Rachel insisted.

"That's not possible," Carmella retorted angrily.

"I'm telling you, Bacchry's alive," Rachel said, "and I'm pretty sure he's been following Andy."

"Wait, who's Nox Bacchry?" Annabeth asked.

"A depraved and sadistic psychopath who gets off on torturing seven year old girls into insanity," Carmella said through gritted teeth. "Andy stabbed him in the throat with a scalpel trying to get out of that place."

Rachel looked ill and Annabeth pressed a hand to her mouth, while Percy turned a nasty shade of green.

"Is this Andy's, then?" he asked, forcing the bile down inside him. "Her research?"

He didn't know what she researched, but sometimes late at night he'd see the light still on in her room.

Rachel looked over her shoulder, reading the name on a second file. "Who's Sirius Black? Oh, hang on, I think my mom mentioned him…isn't he a convicted criminal?"

"He's also Andy's step-brother," Carmella said dryly, "and falsely accused…but yeah, this is her research. She always said if she was gone longer than five days that we could look through it, well, that's what she told me…she's not really talkative about, you know, and she's got all his notes on what he did…" Carmella's eyes darkened to a plum color.

"Are we sure we want to read that?" Annabeth asked, running a nervous finger over the brim of her cup. "I mean…its torture and…"

"No," Percy said decisively, a low sigh escaping him. "Put it back, Mella, that's Andy's business. Give the Sirius one here, she can't be upset if we have a look at that."

Rachel gave a small murmur of agreement and Carmella conceded.

"So, let's see how wrongfully accused dear Sirius was," Carmella said.

It was after all, better to be distracted than to think of the possibility of Andy not returning from the deepest pit.


	10. Doors of Death

"This is by far the worst idea you have ever come up with," Jason informed her with genuine disgust, glancing down at himself and miming throwing up, still faint from before. The blood was wet and sticky from the heat of Tartarus which only served to double the horrible smell.

"Don't be such a sissy," Andy scoffed, her eyes rolling at his revulsion, "that's my blood you're covered in."

Jason gagged. "And why is it your blood?"

"Other than the obvious?" Andy grumbled to herself so low that Jason missed it. "Because I've already got my blood on me, so it'll seem like I slaughtered more than one demigod."

"Super," Jason said without feeling, "but the monsters won't think we're one of them."

"Oh please," Andy scoffed, "you're talking to someone who spent some time in the loony bin—"

"We don't have a loony bin at New Rome," Jason said dryly.

"Then maybe someone should invest in one," Andy retorted, "we'll stuff Octavian in there, sound like a plan?"

Jason spared her a brief grin that she reciprocated. It was safe to say that neither of them remotely liked the legacy of Apollo who claimed to have the ability to read entrails (or stuffing, seeing as he was more likely to be seen slaughtering stuffed animals than living ones. His ability over prophecy was negligible at best and Andy was certain that compared to Apollo's children, he was far less impressive.

"That'd be nice."

"Some peace and quiet for once," Andy hummed in agreement before they ducked quickly behind a rotting branch of…something, to avoid a drakon as it moved past, its tail swishing back and forth and embedding sharp scales into the bark just over Jason and Andy's heads.

"I think it's safe to say we're heading in the right direction," Jason whispered to her as they came out from behind their hiding place.

"Really?" Andy hissed scathingly, her temper rearing its ugly head. "Whatever gave that away?"

Jason winced beside her.

"Sorry," she muttered, "Tartarus has a bad affect on me."

"Me too," Jason assured her.

But Andy shook her head, the strands so blood-soaked that not a strand of white hair could be seen, which was lucky, because Andy seemed to be quite popular with the monsters, having slaughtered so many of them in her short life. Jason glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Though he was quite certain that Tartarus was affecting him physically, leaving him quite drained, he had a feeling that the effect it was having on Andy was more mental than anything else. He wondered if her mind was still fragile from what Nox Bacchry had done to it. "It's messing with my head, I doubt it does that to you."

"Are you alright?" Jason asked in concern, taking note of the distinctly harried expression in her eyes, but Andy waved him off, leaping quickly over what seemed to be a small pore of acid.

"Fine," Andy grumbled, "just fine, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well…you look kind of pale under all that blood…"

"Even better," Andy said, unconcerned by her pallor, "we might have a chance to pull off this whole mania act, you know."

Jason threw a look her way that said the pair of them were going to need to work a lot in order to be passable as spirits of insanity, and then he looked at her and took a visible step back. The look in her eyes was half-way between crazed and blank with a maddening smile.

"Good one, yeah?" Now she was grinning widely, emboldened by his reaction.

"Yeah, I mean," Jason stumbled a little over his words, "if  _psycho_  is what you're going for."

He'd been in the infirmary at one point during Andy's episodes of insanity before she had been cured by Bacchus, and the look in her eyes had been pretty terrifying to a seven-year-old.

"I am quite psychotic…in certain circumstances," Andy mused, "you've clearly never met my whole family, there was a lot of…inbreeding on my Black side."

"Seriously?" Jason's eyes bulged slightly in shock. "What kind of family do you come from?"

"A very complex one," Andy said shrewdly, stopping short to look at him seriously. "Now, tell me…can you see any white in my hair?"

This detail was very important, as white hair was not typical of young girls, and blue streaks in that white hair were even less. Only one demigod in the world had that kind of hair, and it was just asking for trouble if she went in there with her white hair gleaming.

They'd be dead in seconds, Jason was almost completely certain of that.

He focused on the blood-soaked strands with surprising intensity before circling around her to be completely sure. "No white, just a lot of red." He tried not to gag at the smell of the blood and of death and decay that they no doubt reeked of.

"Good," Andy said with an absent nod, her eyes meeting his and Jason memorized the green fractured glass; if they failed, those eyes could possibly be the last thing he saw. "Ready to kick some monster ass?"

"Always," Jason said with a mournful sigh as they stepped out of their hiding place and into the crowd, dragging their weapons in the ground like zombies and wearing a seemingly dazed expression in their wide eyes.

"Urgh…I never knew mania to smell so bad," a voice commented behind them in a snide voice, but Jason and Andy didn't turn around so as not to give anything away.

They were, after all, mania who cared nothing more than to wreck havoc on others, including monsters and demigods, from whom they had stolen their blades from (clearly).

Jason and Andy did not speak as many monsters joined their group until it seemed almost like they were in a parade of monsters, passing through the ripped gates easily with the empousai on either side not even bothering to question their scent of demigod.

Jason breathed out a silent sigh. So far, so good.

Andy grinned. "Now, let's see who we talk to to get into the arena."

 _Definitely not so good_ , Jason thought as he followed after her.

* * *

"How is any of this legal?" Annabeth demanded, her eyes scanning through the newspapers –ignoring that fact that the pictures were indeed moving– which had been thankfully translated into Greek by Rachel. "You can't just pick someone off the street and throw them in prison for seven years, that's just—that's just vile!"

"The British Embassy passed a law at the time that allowed them to send Death Eaters straight to Azkaban," Carmella offered, thumbing through Andy's notes before handing them off to Percy.

"And this…Azkaban…it's a prison?" he asked slowly, confusion saturating his tone.

"Try the worst prison ever," Rachel corrected, her pencil moving over a page of her sketchbook. "It's got its own island—"

"Like Alcatraz?" Annabeth surmised.

"Try several times worse," Rachel said with a grimace. "Azkaban has no other humans on it than the prisoners."

"Then how do they keep the prisoners from escaping?" Percy asked, a bit flummoxed.

"They've got Dementors for that," Carmella said sullenly, "if you want to keep your soul, you'll stay where you are…and it doesn't really help that Sirius is a descendant of the Love Goddess." That was to say, her mother.

The color was quickly leeched from Annabeth's skin, almost faster than Rachel would have believed possible.

"Keep…your soul?" Annabeth repeated the words, looking a bit horrified at the idea.

"Well, Dementors are…what was it that Andy said?" Rachel mused, having grown out of the habit of calling her AJ months previously (she supposed one of the reasons Andromeda liked being called Andy was because it was a more masculine name). "A bastard creation of Hades?"

"Or Pluto, depending on who you ask," Carmella conceded. "Supposedly they're corrupted souls, but I don't think anyone really knows."

"Comforting," Percy said dryly. "Exactly how much about…all that…does she know?"

Violet met green. "Sometimes it's best not to ask…her mind is rather delicate." A grimace formed on her lips. She could still remember the day they'd found her crawling towards the Tiber River, bloodied and dazed and speaking in disjointed riddles. Carmella had clung to her then as if by doing so she could force Andy to return to the way she was, but she could not.

And Carmella never wanted to see that look in her eyes again.

"I mean…obviously she's healed," Carmella added, realizing all the attention was on her, "but it'll take a few years more until her mind is completely healed from what happened."

"That's why she had to stay over at the hospital a few months back?" Percy asked, furrowing his brow slightly. "She said it was a mistake…they thought she had something she didn't…"

"Because when did Andy ever admit to needing help?" Annabeth scoffed and Percy had to wonder just how long his friend had known his sister.

Rachel grunted in agreement, not looking up from her sketchbook as she flipped through the pages to land on one she drew months previously. It was a young girl nearly thirteen, turning mostly away from the drawer. The bi-colored color of her hair was a dead giveaway, as was the design of camouflage of her jacket. Rachel had drawn a blade hanging at her side, a knife strapped to her leg and another one tucked into her boot. Andy stood in darkness with vines of thorns spinning around her. It was the best representation of her friend that she had drawn thus far.

" _Sometimes the most anyone sees of Andy is her back,"_  Marlene Thomas had once told Rachel (though the two barely knew each other and had only met once, the day Rachel had begun to draw that picture).  _"And that's fine by her."_

"Anyways, back to Sirius Black," Rachel said, trying to redirect their efforts. "A lot of the usual laws were kind of…thrown aside during the war, so Death Eaters were thrown into prison without trials, supposedly their guilt was undeniable."

"You don't agree," Annabeth noticed, seeing how the red-head's lips had drawn downwards slightly.

"Well…they did release a number of Death Eaters within the weeks after the war ended," Rachel said, rolling her eyes slightly. It was something her parents had complained rather vocally about. "They claimed to have only done what they did under the Imperius Curse and they paid a good bit of money."

"What's the Imperius Curse?" Percy blurted out.

"It's one of the Unforgiveables," Carmella informed him, ticking them off on her fingers, "one of the three curses that will get you sent to Azkaban for using them. The Avada Kedavra is the Killing Curse, it's the one that was used against Harry and his family, then there's the Cruciatus Curse, that's the Torture Curse that broke Andy's head, and then there's the Imperius Curse which allows that caster complete control over someone else."

Annabeth and Percy shared a glance. They had always thought magic to be kind of funny, and the way Andy complained about her Charmswork, one wouldn't think that it could be nearly that dangerous.

But a spell of torture couldn't have been something that was easy to bear.

"I find it funny that they didn't check Black for the Dark Mark," Rachel was saying to Carmella.

"Yeah, that bothered me too," Carmella agreed. "You'd think that would be the first thing they'd check for once they arrested him, I mean, before they snapped his wand."

"Some shoddy work there," Rachel said, using a phrase her mother used often. "I guess the British Embassy really wanted to put that war behind them…but really…"

"Corruption at its finest," Carmella replied sardonically.

"The British branch is corrupt?" Percy asked in confusion.

"That's the only explanation for honestly how terrible things are handled over there," Carmella added with scorn. "Go to Greece or Italy or France and I guarantee you it'll be loads better."

"Going into politics?" Rachel asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Healing, actually," Carmella short back, "but I wrote a lot of papers in History of Magic on how superior the American system is."

Rachel actually laughed at that. "Bet Prof Green got a kick out that."

Violet eyes sparkled. "You have no idea."

* * *

Now that Andy was in the arena, she was really starting to regret her idea. One of these reasons was because the monsters reformed as soon as their opponents struck them down, and if that happened to Andy and Jason, they were both screwed.

Only one thing kept them going, and that was the glazed pithos resting on a podium not too far from the arena. It seemed relatively unassuming with black and white geometrical designs painted onto it, but Andy knew in an instant that in it resided all the evils of the world as well as the goddess Spes.

"I'm going to drop dead soon," Jason muttered to Andy, breathless from the onslaught of monsters surrounding them, his back leaning against Andy's.

"We get out of here alive, you can sleep all you like, Princess," Andy promised, chuckling slightly at the irritated noise he gave in response to her new name for him.

"What are the chances we'll get out of her alive?" Jason asked morbidly before throwing himself away from her to duck under the strike of the Minotaur.

"Best not to think about that!" Andy yelled over to him as she slashed through an empousai.

Honestly, Jason was surprised that the disguise had worked so well. A good number had a good sniff and laughed at how much they reeked of demigods that they must have been stalking the same ones for weeks. There were far easier prey that Jason and Andy could have gone for, in their opinion, which was probably why the two 'mania' had been returned to Tartarus.

The issue was the fights with the monsters seemed to be never-ending and eventually Andy and Jason would tire and then they would be surrounded by enemies on all sides. It wasn't something particularly pleasant to think of.

But that wasn't one of the problems Andy was currently worrying about as she severed the head of a harpy that was in a rather stab-with-her-claws kind of mood that left Andy with a deep scratch on her shoulder, but, of course, that couldn't be seen since she was already doused with blood.

She was more concerned with getting out than staying alive.

_"Come now," Hecate said in amusement, "surely you did not think that leaving Tartarus was easy, Andromeda Jackson-Black? The Doors of Death only work if someone remains, pressing a button for twelve minutes, you foolish child, even demigods are bound to this. Not even you, prized by Jupiter himself, will be spared. And doors open from both sides so you must have someone on the mortal plain to assist you, or all is lost."_

Someone was going to have to stay behind, and the only one who would slightly have a chance was her. It didn't take someone with Callie's brain to see that Jason was quickly being affected by the atmosphere of Tartarus.

Andy ducked to the side to avoid a blow to the side and then her heart short circuited, her eyes widening in shock and disbelief.

As when she had fallen into the Acheron, Nico di Angelo had appeared before her. His dark eyes were angry and his fists were clenched at his sides. And then he turned and vanished into the next monster that tried to take her head off.

Andy barely had time to dive out of the way.

"You alright?" Jason called to her and Andy gasped, the sharp pain in her heart ever-present.

"M'fine," she forced out, raising a hand over her heart, a movement that was not lost to Jason. He had suspected when she had first been injured by something he could not see that the damage was more severe than she let on, however, she never mentioned it apart from a pained wince every now and then.

Jason wondered how painful Cupid's arrows were, but he couldn't think about that right now, because something far more important caught his interest.

There was a strip of white in Andy's hair, clearly visible from where the blood had slipped away.

This, he thought angrily, had to be Hecate's doing, because blood didn't simply fall from hair, and the blood covering Jason had remained untouched.

"Well," Andy said, her tone almost conversational, "we're fucked."

Jason had to agree as their scents became overpowering to the monsters.

"DEMIGODS!" they raged.

"ANDROMEDA JACKSON!" cried another.

"Please, use my birth name," Andy said dryly, "I understand my full name is rather long."

Well, no one wasn't saying that Andromeda Jackson-Black wasn't a mouthful…

A charm on Andy's bracelet and suddenly a black whip was in her hand and she flicked it out towards the pithos, jerking it towards her chest in a quick movement before tossing the container of Spes into Jason's waiting arms.

Jason had to take a few steps back in order to remain standing as the pithos collided with his stomach.

"RUN!" Andy roared, holstering her sword to her belt with surprising speed as she extended her hands, sending out arching out a thin thread of lightning. Jason would have done it better, however, he had no access to his father's element in Tartarus and all Andy had was the lightning bolt that resided inside of her.

But Jason hesitated.

"I'll catch up with you!" Andy bellowed over her shoulder, her face contorted with the strain of forcing the lightning to be in continuous motion (she was a daughter of a sea god, dammit! Not some sky god! This wasn't as easy as it looked!). "Go!"

This time he heeded her order, racing out of the arena and following the heat of the Phlegethon which led straight to the Doors of Death.

They had worked out this portion of the plan ahead of time, making sure which direction they should follow the River of Fire, as it could be taken in two directions, but he remembered what she said about having to have one person stay behind, and she clearly had nominated herself for the job.

The idiot!

But Jason still did as she had commanded him, bolting through the throng of monsters and struggling over the land. He kept running even when his body was practically screaming at him to turn back, which could only mean one thing, Jason had reached the Heart of Tartarus, if there was such a place, it could only be where he was now.

The valley he was currently crossing was wide and sparse of any kind of growth with a constant rumbling boom that shook the ground under his feet, the clouds rolling above cast crimson and azure lines across the landscape, looking very much like veins of the cardiovascular system.

Heart of Tartarus indeed.

And anchored to the center of the clearing was a great pair of doors whose presence tugged at Jason's very soul. There was no doubt in his mind that it was the Doors of Death that Andy had spoken of.

A yell of "KEEP RUNNING GRACE!" spurred him into action, causing him to realize just how he had stopped to admire the strange beauty –if it could be called such a thing– and he was speeding towards the doors once again.

It was here that he arrived at another problem; monsters.

It was foolish to entertain the notion that all the monsters of Tartarus had been present at the arena, and Jason had his hands a bit full so dealing with them was out of the question.

Evasive maneuvers it was, then.

The only trouble with that was that monsters were quite used to moving over the pulsating ground –dare Jason call it the flesh of Tartarus?– while Jason was not nearly as accustomed.

He dared not to glance back to Andy who was already having a considerable amount of trouble trying to keep an army of monsters at bay.

Truth be told, the Doors of Death belonged, predictably, to Letus and he could control when and where they appeared, so they had really been running blind until the god himself had appeared in a dream Jason had that had resulted from him passing out at the scent of the blood (wimp); Andy suspected it more had to do with the overpowering smell and the revulsion at having to be covered in it than anything, because she knew he could handle the sight of it fairly easily.

The god had given the pair only a short window for an escape –unfortunately absolving Andy of all the favors she had earned from him thus far– after that, they were –as Andy said– fucked.

Andy had never used her lightning bolt quite so much and she was beginning to get rather light-headed from her efforts. This was why Andy stuck to water and ice. Give her the sea any…day…

She blinked and almost lost her concentration as she looked down at herself.

She was covered in blood.

Water was a component of blood.

She raised her hands to hover over her chest, drawing the blood from her skin and her clothes and hair to fling it away from, blinding at least a dozen monsters by the sound of their cries, but it wouldn't be enough.

And the lightning bolt would only keep them at bay for so long.

"Are you there yet?!" she called back.

"Nearly!"

She dared to glance, and he was indeed correct. In his haste, Jason had bowled over a stray Scythian Dracanae who gave a scream of protest as he neared the doors, which actually looked a lot less like she thought they would, appearing more as elevator doors made of Stygian Iron (Andy had imagined great massive doors with panels of Greek and Roman gods and heroes grafted to them so the actual door was difficult to see).

Jason attempted to pry open the doors even with the pithos still in his arms, and it was a few seconds before it relented and he fell inside.

Andy was right behind him, but she was not planning on entering, her hand was aimed at the button that pointed upwards.

"What're you doing?" Jason demanded, his eyes widening so much that they seemed over-large on his face. "You're coming with!"

"Be realistic, Jason," Andy scoffed, her lips twisting slightly. "Someone has to hold this down for twelve minutes and someone has to take that pithos up to Olympus."

"I'm not leaving you here!" There was a fire in his eyes that Andy hadn't seen before. "I would've been dead long before now if it wasn't for you! And you've got a family waiting for you!"

"And you've got a sister!" Andy retorted easily, realizing only a second too late what she'd done.

"What?" Jason goggled at her and she lost her focus, the lightning bold that had spread itself thin in an effort to hold the monsters at bay reformed and vanished into thin air, a hum inside her telling her it had returned to her.

The monsters roared in glee as they were finally released, beginning to race towards the two demigods.

"Get in!" Jason snapped. "Stab a knife through it!"

This thought had actually not occurred to her and it took her less than three seconds to comply, forming ice around the knife where she stabbed it through the button to keep the knife from being withdrawn.

She barely had any time to leap inside before the doors closed, barely escaping death.

Andy clenched her fists, focusing on the knife she had left behind, keeping the ice building up, because if it was pulled out, she didn't know what would happen to them.

" _If you choose Hope over safety, your journey will be more difficult than you imagine."_

Hecate's words echoed in her ears as claws of monsters trying to yank out her knife sank into her legs and Andy cried out in pain.

If Jason ever came back to Tartarus, it would be too soon.

* * *

Harry Potter was not a great demigod like his mother or his aunt, but he did have a gift with curious dreams. Sometimes he dreamed about the day his parents were murdered, but he couldn't remember much about that, and sometimes he dreamed about the gods and heroes.

Last night he dreamed about his aunt, and a boy with short blonde hair and arms wrapped tightly around a pithos.

Aunty Andy had turned toward him, her shattered green eyes glowing eerily.

" _Empire State Building, Tuesday, 2:01 pm,"_  she said in a voice that was not her own, old and weighted with knowledge.  _"The elevator button. Don't be late."_

It was this reason that Percy and Carmella (Harry had to stay with his Aunt Petunia for a few more days and Annabeth and Rachel offered to stay behind at the Jacksons apartment) were streaking through the streets, having only enough money to get a taxi to take them a few blocks from the building that one took an elevator to get to Olympus.

"Time?" Percy gasped as they came to a stop in front of the building, very nearly swearing at the _Closed For Maintenance_  sign out front.

"2:00!" Carmella leapt over the sign, and twisting her head violently to make sure they weren't spotted before swinging open the door and bypassing the metal detectors, heading for the elevator.

Percy reached it first, slamming his hand into the button, causing the doors to shimmer a darker color as they opened.

There were two figures within. One was completely covered in blood and the other looked about ready to pass out, blood staining her thighs.

"Hey, Perce, Mella, nice save, yeah?"

Percy never thought he would miss that British accent so much as his younger sister grinned sheepishly up at him.


	11. Acceptance of a Father

"You sure this is the same man?" it was a gruff voice that had spoken first, scowling into the cell that held only one figure.

"Quite sure," a younger voice responded, his dark eyes glinting in distaste as he looked at the man before him. "There's no mistaking it, that's Nox Bacchry…now all we need is his confession."

The first man scrutinized his partner intently. "He hasn't spoken since he was brought in, and you know you can't coerce one out of him."

The younger of the two very nearly smirked. "I won't…but I know someone who can convince him to speak."

"Who?"

Dark eyes narrowed. "His former victim, Andromeda Snow."

* * *

"Mum, if you were anymore relieved, you'd be floating," Andy said, her lips twisting in amusement as her mother tucked a thin blanket around her legs, hiding the bandages that were bound over her thighs, hiding the healing slashes that had resulted from the claws of monsters as she and Jason left. And they were not the only bandages she wore. There was one on her left shoulder, another on her right upper arm, courtesy of Aeton who took her to be monster of illusion because of the face she wore and the stench of Tartarus that clung to her skin (but he was quite repentant once he realized him mistake), and one over the deep slash to her chest by Cupid's arrow.

Sally smoothed back her daughter's hair away from her forehead, her smile soft and alight with happiness. "I'm just glad you're safe."

Andy tangled a few of her blue strands between her fingers with a small smile herself as she permitted her mother to kiss her once more. She wasn't quite sure how to respond to that, especially with so many people in the apartment (it was more packed than it had ever been, containing not only Andromeda herself, Percy, Carmella, and Sally, but Rachel, Annabeth, Marlene, and Callie). "How's Jason?" she asked instead. "Passed out?"

"Carmella forced a bit of soup down his throat before he collapsed on your bed," Sally's voice went from slightly amused to worried, "do you mind?"

" _Psh_ , it's fine," Andy said in a disregarding manner, "is there any soup for me?"

Marlene snorted as she brought over a spare bowl which Andy readily took, gulping it down in moments before raising her eyes to look upon the gathered assortment of demigods and mortals. "…I'm guessing you want to hear all about Tartarus, then?"

"Well, you're the first demigods to survive it in centuries!" Annabeth was practically bubbling with excitement. "Maybe even the only ones!"

Callie coughed uncomfortably beside her half-sister and Annabeth blushed. "I-I mean," she stuttered, "if you  _want_  to tell us about it."

"It's fine, really," she assured her mother in particular who was watching her a bit apprehensively. "The night I…left, I had been intending on coming back. Hecate had dropped a few hints about Sp– about Elpis, the goddess of Hope, being stolen and taken into Tartarus and that I would be the one to bring her back."

"This is why you should have come and gotten  _us,"_  Carmella bemoaned.

Andy cracked a grin. "Well, we might've found the pithos faster," she admitted, earning her a few laughs.

"Pithos?" Percy muttered to Annabeth.

"Urn," she replied with a quick smirk as he bobbed his head in understanding.

"Anyways, you can't just go down into Tartarus without a plan," Andy was saying, "that's practically suicide, so I went to the Library of Congress with Aeton to dig up some information." Aeton whined beside her at the sound of his name, dropping his head onto her lap so she could pet him.

A collection of "Oh!"s came from Carmella, Callie, and Marlene at these words, but no one else seemed to be following.

"The Library of Congress?" Annabeth repeated dubiously. "What good does it do?"

"It has a secret room dedicated to demigods," Callie said with a snort, "but Andy's not telling where exactly it is."

Annabeth's face had lit up so much at the idea of a secret room containing books on demigods that Percy had moved slightly away from his friend.

"I figured that had to be the best place to look," Andy admitted, rolling her shoulders and trying not to wince at the sudden movement, but her mother caught it anyways, pushing her back against the chair's cushions with a reproving glance that made Andy grin. "And I found several things on Tartarus before we were interrupted…I didn't stay to find out by what, I just took Aeton and he shadow-travelled us out before Hecate pulled me off just beyond the Wolf House."

"Wolf House?" Rachel piped, startling a few people as she hadn't spoken hardly since Sally had come home from work.

"It's a place in California," Marlene tried to explain in as vague terms as possible, "where the goddess Lupa resides."

"What happened at Wolf House?" Carmella asked over Marlene, causing Rachel to narrow her eyes suspiciously; obviously there was something they were hiding about Wolf House, what it was exactly.

"Jason showed up…he must have been on patrol," Andy mused more to herself, "and before we knew it, Hecate'd dumped us right into Acheron." Andy shivered. "I nearly  _drowned."_

"But you can't drown," Percy said, startled at the prospect. "You're Poseidon's daughter!"

"It's Tartarus, believe me, it could've happened," Andy said, rubbing at her eyes as she recalled the words of the form of Nico that appeared before her.

 _"How could you? How could you do that? How could you take my_   _ **memories**_   _from me? They were_   _ **mine!"**_

" _They were my memories! You had no right to take them from me!"_

"And I had to drag Jason through it, since he'd been knocked unconscious," Andy added with a grimace, "I passed out after that, and he was the one to drag me into a cave before I got this." She pointed towards the bandage that was bound over her chest, where her heart lay.

Carmella winced, remembering just how deep the wound was, though it had mostly stopped bleeding by the time she had bound it, but she knew enough to know that it would leave a scar, and gods above knew that Andy had more than enough of those.

"Which monster?" Annabeth asked at nearly the same time as Callie, earning a smirk from the girl in question.

Andy's lips twitched in amusement at the irony. "Actually it was Cupid."

Unease flowed over the demigods at the idea of a god attacking a demigod without provocation, but still Andy continued her story, being careful when she spoke of certain subjects more than others as Hecate's words echoed in her ears.

" _You have a traitor in your midst. I wonder if you can root them out before more death follows them?"_

Andy swallowed thickly, wondering which in her company was only putting on a face towards her, but for the life of her, she couldn't tell. And so, she continued her tale, carefully watching their reactions, but their deceit was great and the traitor left the apartment later that day assured of their position.

* * *

Spes' pithos had been locked in Andy's closet, but now it was sitting on her desk, how it got out, Andy couldn't quite be sure, but its presence made her nervous, and as soon as Jason was awake, they were going straight to the Empire State Building and going straight up to Olympus to place it at the feet of Jupiter himself. Jason might have a heart attack if he was to see his father in the flesh, figuratively speaking, but Andy didn't care as long as she got rid of the damned thing.

Andy scowled angrily at it, miming killing it with one hand as Jason breathed in and out deeply, fast asleep on her bed, but it did not respond, of course, she hadn't honestly been expecting, because that would just be plain strange.

"Mm…what time's it?" a groan came from the bed, and Andy turned away from scowling at the pithos to look upon Jason as he arose into wakefulness.

"About eight," Andy said, glancing at the alarm by her bedside. "Percy's already at school and Mum'll be back by lunch." It was strange to think that after all the time she and Jason had spent in Tartarus, Percy still had another four days of school to complete (or another four days to find himself suddenly expelled, depending on how you looking at it).

"Really?" Jason asked, his words a bit garbled as he sat up, rubbing at his eyes. "Your brother still has school?"

"Funny, isn't it?" Andy said with a soft chuckle. "Yeah, he's almost lasted a whole year without being expelled, pretty impressive for a Jackson, if you ask me."

He blinked owlishly at her for a few moments, as if trying to ascertain if she was being serious. He settled with simply asking her if she was serious rather than assuming she was.

Her lips twisted upwards briefly. "Mum's running out of schools to send us to." Her eyes darkened momentarily, her smile following soon after. "Carmella and I are probably going to a boarding school in Scotland for next year."

"Scotland?" Jason said, goggling at her. "That's…far…"

"Yes, it is," she mused, more to herself, her eyes growing distant. "War is brewing…I'd rather not be so far from New Rome," she murmured more to herself than anything.

"You live in New York," he mentioned, which was on the exact opposite side of the United States from where Camp Jupiter was located.

A smirk adorned her face. "That is still on the same continent, Grace, and Aeton doesn't like traveling transatlantic." Andy reached a hand down to scratch behind her familiar's ears who never seemed to be far from her since her return from Tartarus.

Aeton gave a low growl of agreement, nosing her hand before gnawing gently on it, making her chuckle, unaffected by his behavior before she turned back towards him. "Your clothes are in the bathroom. After you shower we can head to Olympus."

"O-Olympus?" Jason couldn't help but stutter. No demigod he knew of –other than Andy who had briefly been named a goddess– had ever set foot inside the great palace of the gods.

"Jupiter will appreciate the gesture," Andy remarked simply, "besides, your father and I have something to discuss." She had sent a message along, courtesy of Mercury just that morning, but she suspected he might want to speak to her in person.

"What kind of something?" Jason asked suspiciously.

Andy released a soft chuckle. "Something no one else needs to know about, no go take a shower…you still smell like Hell."

Was it considered bad form if Jason threw one of Andy's own pillows at her head? He made an attempt anyways, though he wasn't surprised that she dodged it neatly. He did have to wince when it collided with a sturdy trident that was resting against the wall, causing Andy's father's symbol of power to clatter to the ground.

The Andy he had met before spending ten days in Tartarus with would have certainly exploded, showcasing her talent at swearing, but she merely arched an eyebrow, remarkably unimpressed by his aim.

* * *

"You can't tell me that Olympus is  _inside_  the Empire State Building," Jason said, a bit aghast as he watched several tourists pass through the metal detector before them.

"Don't be ridiculous," Andy scoffed, "you just take the elevator all the way up to Olympus, keep up, Grace!"

Jason had to clamor after her so that he didn't find himself separated from the daughter of Neptune as she moved towards the guard at the front desk. "Six hundredth floor," she said clearly to him, but he didn't even glance up.

"Beat it, kid," he said, giving Jason the feeling that Andy had overstepped her boundaries, that this man was just an ordinary mortal, and he tightened his grip on the pithos that was earning them a few curious glances.

"Um, Andy?" He nudged her with elbow. "Maybe—"

She held a hand up, stalling his words. "I need an audience with Jupiter," she insisted, but the man still did not lift his eyes from the book in front of him, and he couldn't have made it plainer how little he cared.

"No appointment, no audience, kid," he chortled, "Lord Jupiter doesn't see anyone unannounced."

"He will see me," Andy pressed with a voice that brooked no argument and the man's eyes slid up from his book to meet her eyes, and then he almost fell out of his chair. Andy spared Jason a smirk who it turn tossed her an exasperated expression.

"Jack Frost! I-I didn't see you there," he stuttered out an apology.

She arched an eyebrow, resting a hand on her hip, close to the hilt of her blade. "I haven't been Jack Frost in nearly a year," she remarked coolly, holding out her hand for the keycard that one needed in order to take the elevator to the six hundredth floor. "I haven't got all day, unless you want us to unleash all of the evils of the world upon you?"

"Uh-right—" He fumbled and Jason threw a glare towards Andy that only caused her smirk to widen. Did she really have to scare people so much?

Jason already knew the answer to that.

Andy took the keycard in one hand and Jason's elbow in the other as she pulled him towards the elevator as it made a  _ding!_ , and opened.

Andy slid the card into the slot and pressed the 'six hundred' button that had appeared as though it had been there all along. She pressed it and turned back towards Jason, whose grip on the Greek pithos was painfully tight now.

"Ready to see Olympus?" she asked.

"Well, um, kind of," Jason admitted disjointedly, "it's more of my father that I'm worried about meeting."

Andy nodded in understanding with an expression that Jason couldn't quite read.

"Have you ever met your dad?" he asked her. It was entirely possible that she had, when one took into account that she had once been a goddess, no matter how minor.

"We have never spoken," Andy admitted with great reluctance, a grimace marring her lips, "but I have caught his eye a few times, and I don't think he approved too much of me…it's a pity I was born female, I suppose." She picked at a stray thread on her shirt, missing the expression on Jason's face.

"I don't think it's bad that you were born a girl," he said, realizing a second too late what he said and flushing bright red at the arched eyebrow he earned from the girl.

"Oh,  _really?"_  she asked, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"I-I just mean, I think you're easier to get along with as a girl than a boy," Jason forced out, trying very hard not to hide his face as Andy released a short laugh. But it was silenced quickly as she pulled a hand up to rest over her heart, pain flickering across her face.

Jason thought it best not to bring up how her injury, though undoubtedly healed by now, was still bothering her, and he knew she wouldn't appreciate the attention drawn towards her, especially that kind of attention.

"What's my father like?" he blurted out. He couldn't help it, he'd never met his father and he didn't want to leave him with a bad impression of his only living son.

"Proud," Andy said after a long moment of contemplation, "impulsive, self-centered, and he hates to be proven wrong."

Jason's shoulders slumped slightly and he nearly dropped the pithos (something he was certain Spes would be quite unforgiving upon). His father didn't sound like someone he would want to meet. A warm hand on his shoulder pulled his eyes up to meet shattered green.

"Don't…" Andy struggled to find the most appropriate words. "Don't judge him too harshly when you meet him, no god is perfect, and Jupiter knows this, no matter how narcissistic he seems. He means well with some of the things he does, but…they don't always come off that way." If only Andy could take her own advice.

"You like him more than your own dad," Jason mumbled mutinously.

"Well, I don't know about that," Andy said with a wince, "at least my father didn't try to kill my…" She frowned. It would probably be best not to talk about that. "Never mind."

Jason opened his mouth to speak when the  _ding!_  of the elevator door distracted him and he watched on an apprehensive breath as the doors swung open.

"Try not to fall," Andy advised as they walked out, and Jason soon saw why, and he thanked the gods that he wasn't afraid of heights, or he would have been pretty terrified. They were standing on a narrow walkway made of stone that seemed to be hovering in midair high above Manhattan which was so far below that Jason couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as he followed Andy up a curving stairway.

His mouth was gaping as they continued to walk higher and higher, his eyes staring into the clouds where he could see a snow-capped peak of a mountain, as if it was held up by only the clouds, which Jason very much doubted. There were winding roads paved in stone and lush gardens and temples and palaces, and it was far more beautiful than Jason could have imagined.

"Is this real?" he hardly dared to breathe, quickening his pace so that he was level with Andy once again, having fallen behind so he could take everything in.

"As real as anything else in this world," Andy promised as they climbed higher and higher into the clouds until they were stepping onto the mountain itself and passing through gardens that held female nymphs that giggled as they saw Jason and past temples that were practically gleaming in the light as though imbued with starlight or sunlight. "Welcome, Jason Grace, to Olympus, the home of the gods."

Jason swallowed thickly and followed after her.

* * *

When Jason first saw his father, his first thought was that they looked nothing alike. Jupiter's eyes were smoldering and electric and his hair and beard a mix of grey and black that didn't look unlike storm clouds. Jason felt remarkably small when his father gazed upon him before the eyes shifted abruptly to Andy.

"Son, Niece," he said simply, "I see you have recovered Spes."

"We have, My Lord," Andy said with a tone of respect and reverence that Jason had not heard her ever use towards a single person, though, Jupiter was the King of the Gods, so it made sense that even she –who was rather well known for having little respect towards a number of people– would fall back to her manners when addressing him.

Jason held out the pithos to his father who took it from him wordlessly.

Jupiter did not speak for a moment, but then he nodded approvingly. "You have done well."

And Jason felt as though he was floating, but then Jupiter's eyes were cold as he swept over to Andy. "The Fates have spoken with me concerning you, niece," he said, "it would seem that giving you immortality to find the traitor who could bring about the downfall of many was a mistake, as you have yet to uncover his identity."

The rebuke was harsh and Jason couldn't help but feel stung on Andy's behalf, imagining how it would feel if someone said such a thing towards him, but Andy took it in stride. She stood with her back straight and her eyes steady.

"Some would say that it is not in one's best interest to tempt Fate, My Lord," Andy replied, her tone just a touch solemn, and for a moment Jason quite thought his father was going to explode, but he surprised him.

A deep laugh echoed around them at her words. "As spirited as ever, Andromeda Jackson-Black! I expected nothing less!"

Andy looked remarkably sheepish at his words, rolling her eyes towards Jason who was vaguely confused about several things in particular.

"Come," he continued, "you must tell me of Tartarus, there is much to be discussed."

"Of course," Jason and Andy said as one, only to blink and look at each other for speaking in unison, thus earning a second laugh from the God of Lightning.

"A moment please, brother," stalled any words and Jason raised his eyes to meet a pair of familiar green ones that could have only belonged to the God of the Sea, Neptune himself.

The resemblance between the god and Andy's brother Percy was undeniable, but up close he could see that Andy had inherited a great deal more. There was the manner in which both stood, and a purposeful way in which they walked, the way they could coldly survey their surroundings, and even that slight tilt of the head.

An understanding seemed to pass between the two brothers and Jason could see that Andy was trying very hard not to scowl as her crooked a few fingers towards her in the 'come hither' gesture, leading her away from Jason and Jupiter.

Andy shoved her hands in her pockets and loped casually after him until them came to a stop before his temple, of course.

"I wish for you to know that you have made me very proud, Andromeda Atalanta," he said, her first and middle name flowing off his tongue with as much as ease as if he was one who spoke those two words daily, which Andy very much doubted. "You have proven yourself to be both a true Daughter of Rome and a Daughter of the Sea."

"Thank you," Andy said steely. "But I didn't do it for you."

"I am well aware," Neptune said with a sigh. "I will be the first to admit to mistakes—"

"Yeah, it's a pity when those mistakes turn into demigods with sharp tongues," Andy replied as though she was agreeing with him and Neptune eyed his only daughter with a shrewd eye.

"Indeed," he said simply as Andy clenched a hand into a fist by her side. She and Percy had always argued of the matter of the births. Andy claimed that he might have been unplanned, but Andy was unanticipated, but her brother didn't quite agree. "I understand you were injured by Cupid."

A scowl marred her lips. "Why would you care?"

"Because you are my daughter, and whatever my faults, I do love you," he said with utter surety.

"You've got a funny way of showing it," Andy replied, trying to keep a straight face as best as she knew how. Almost against her will, a happiness was expanding inside her at how he had flat-out told her that he did love her, something she had desired to know for ages, possibly since she knew what love was.

"Yes, I do," he concurred. "You are the first daughter I have had, and I admit I was…operating under the assumption that you wouldn't be as strong as your brother and that you would die young, like many of my offspring have done before you. To have you born dying was not something I could have ever imagined, and I was grateful for what Jupiter did to give you life."

Andy chewed on the inside of her mouth.

"You have surpassed my every expectation," he said, meeting her eyes and Andy couldn't quite tell whose eyes looked like the god's more, Percy or Harry. "I am proud of you."

Andy blinked a few times, her eyes misting over slightly as she tried to keep her lip from wobbling, but then, as if a dam had burst inside of her, Andy stepped forward and threw her arms around her father's waist for the first time in her life and she allowed her tears to fall.

And the warmth of the arms that came to rest around her back filled her with more joy than she would ever be able to convey.


	12. Of Monsters and Men

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As far as I know, the legionary decorations are:
> 
> -Gold Crown- awarded for killing an enemy in single combat
> 
> -Naval Crown- awarded to the first soldier who boarded an enemy ship during a naval engagement (or submerge the enemy in Andy's case)
> 
> -Grass Crown- awarded to the one who broke a blockade
> 
> -Mural Crown- awarded to the first soldier who climbed the wall of a besieged city and to successfully place the standard of the attacking army upon it
> 
> -Civic Crown-awarded to a soldier who saved another's life
> 
> -Camp Crown-awarded to the first soldier to force their way into an enemy's palisade
> 
> -Crown of the Preserver-awarded to those who shielded citizens or allies

Andy's fingers were knotted in her hair as she tried not growl in aggravation at the information that Marlene had relayed.

Callie watched her curiously while Carmella merely sipped her juice without a care while Jason blinked a few times.

"It's like they've forgotten that Jason and I exist!" she burst out angrily. "They cannot have a senate meeting without us!"

"But they are," Callie said, earning her a scowl.

"You'd think that those who had walked through Tartarus would know the most about Saturn rising," Jason added his own input.

"But you're not the only ones with ties to the abyss," Carmella interjected, rolling her eyes at Andy's aggravation. "The children of Hecate, Proserpina, Letus, Somnus, Nox, Erebus, and Orcus all have the ability to sense the tremors in the Underworld and further."

"Still," Andy growled in complaint. "They are not having a discussion about Saturn without  _me_."

"Or me," Jason added.

"You don't have your toga," Marlene told him, scrutinizing the boy intently as Andy threw herself in the direction of her room.

"I can make you a spare," Carmella offered helpfully, grinning at him in a way that had the only male in the room stepping backwards.

He had to hand it to Andy, she certainly had a habit of making dangerous friends. Callie could outthink you in the heat of battle, Marlene had strength and experience behind her, and Carmella was the best at using the bow in camp (though most considered it a weak, Greek weapon), proving she didn't need a sword handy. The Fearsome Foursome.

Within seconds he was garbed in a white lookalike toga and it was then that Andy left the confines of her room to return to the sitting room.

Her combat boots were a contrast with the aquamarine of her toga, dulled silver armor that she hadn't worn in a while was strapped to her chest. Silver armor was uncommon in Camp Jupiter, only those descended from sea gods were known to wear it. Andy fiddled with the medals that shone brilliantly on the fabric. Andy didn't have anywhere near as many as Marlene had, but enough that she had given up in her war to gain the most medals.

As it was, Andy had the Naval Crown, Mural Crown, Gold Crown, and the Civic Crown. Marlene didn't hold the Naval Crown, for obvious reasons, but she did hold the other three on top of the Grass Crown, Camp Crown, and Crown of the Preserver, the most anyone had had in more than a century.

"Nice," Callie grinned, giving her a thumbs up and Andy had to roll her eyes.

"Aeton," she whistled, and the hellhound-wolf hybrid appeared beside her, the size of a golden retriever, "want to go to Camp Jupiter?"

His tail wagged in enthusiasm, no doubt irritated at being locked up for so long in an effort to keep him from opening his healed wounds.

Jason gave a startled cry as the beast grew in size until the couch dwarfed him, making the girls laugh.

"If Percy and Mum get home before we do, tell them where we went, won't you?" Andy added towards her friends.

"Yeah, yeah," Callie replied with an unconcerned flick of her hand as Marlene clamored onto the great beast after Andy, wrapping her strong arms securely around the daughter of Neptune's waist before using an arm to assist Jason who looked a little more than vaguely uncomfortable.

"Do you really think it'll take that long?" Carmella asked in surprise. Percy's school didn't get out for another hour and Sally wouldn't be coming home until an hour afterwards with Harry, who would be back in the Jacksons care for the next two weeks.

"Knowing the senators of First and Second Cohort?" Marlene said in a dry manner. "This could take days to settle. Good thing us in Fourth and Fifth have a good bit of sense."

Callie was unimpressed. "Are we talking about the boy and girl who decided to pretend to be  _mania_  by dumping blood on themselves?"

Jason and Andy gave the daughter of Athena identical glares.

"Aw! It's so  _cute_  when you two do things in unison!" Carmella added, before bursting into laughter at the affronted expression on Andy's face and terrified one on Jason's; clearly one of them had priorities.

"Please never say that again," Andy said, wincing as if in genuine pain. Then she turned around slightly to address the ones behind her, though it was more directed towards Jason, as Marlene had ridden on. "Alright, first time shadow-travelers, keep in mind not to release the person sitting in front of you, if you do, well, you'll probably end up in China –everything seems to end up there at one stage or another, so keep a tight grip."

"She's joking, right?" Jason asked Marlene, though he did tighten his arms around her.

"Harry –her nephew– tried to do it without supervision and he ended up on the coast of the East China Sea," Marlene offered helpfully. "Just don't let go, Golden Boy."

"That's not my name," Jason grumbled before Aeton leapt forward into shadow.

* * *

By the time they reached the Senate House they were very late, but they had been uninformed enough as it was. Terminus, the ever-irritated god of boundaries that was little more than a statue on a pedestal without arms (a sore point to never point out the god who was very touchy about the matter), had relieved Andy of Harpe, a dagger on her thigh, a knife hidden in her boot, and Aeton (who had to wait with Terminus, his sharp teeth being considered a weapon of sorts), and Jason of Ivlivs (Marlene, being the only smart one, had elected not to bring her many weapons).

Once they stepped over the threshold, the three demigods had to stop and stare for a moment.

The Senate House was fuller than Andy had seen it, the semicircle of tiered seats only missing three people in the front row, which held the senators. The upper rows held ghosts and older demigods –veterans who had already completed their ten years of service like Andy. The chairs faced a dais with two chairs and only one was filled by an eighteen year old boy named Matthew Jones, grandson of Aesculapius, with a pale boy standing near the front holding a dagger and a mutilated stuffed bear. Andy tried not to let her lip curl, but the descendant of Apollo, Octavian irked her in a way few could.

"Wow…it's worse than I thought," Marlene admitted as they gazed down into the grouping where a number of disagreeing yells were being thrown.

Jason blinked a few times, his mouth gaping slightly. He had never been to such a chaotic meeting before.

"They're a bunch of children," Andy grumbled as Marlene cupped her hands to her lips and let out an echoing  _"OI!"_  that caused every pair of eyes, be they from a living person or a dead one, to jump to where they stood, all movement stalled by the abrupt noise.

"Forgive the interruption," Andy said smoothly, directing all attention towards the three that had begun to move towards their seats, "we were not aware that we were in session."

There was an outbreak of whispers as she bent forward into a bow towards the Praetor and Marlene muttered beside her, "Maybe I should have stuck with Centurion when Bill stepped down," and Andy tried not to smile.

"You are pardoned," Matthew said, straightening his spine as he met her eyes, "We were not aware that you could be reached Senator Sn—" He caught himself. "Senator Jackson-Black."

Andy smiled stiffly as Marlene sat beside her, though she remained standing. "I take it that news of my and Senator Grace's…disappearance had reached your ears?"

"Indeed," Matthew said in a shrewd manner that was only one of the many things that earned him his title, "and your input would be greatly appreciated on the matter of the Time Lord, as there are many among us who don't quite believe the chances of his revival."

She could hear Jason's groan from beside Gwendolyn, two seats away. He too had felt Saturn's pull in Tartarus, yet so many wished to deny it. "As you wish," she replied, moving until she was facing them all.

"The first thing that should have been obvious is that the alliances between the gods are shifting and breaking," Andy began, her voice turning to the diplomatic tone that she only used during such events. "I can confirm that the gods Cupid, Hecate, and Chione have sided with Saturn."

This caused even more whispering, but Andy digressed.

"Saturn is waking," she said, "and there are many that would wish this to occur, and I can tell you with certainty that I and Senator Grace—" Eyes swept towards the blonde-haired son of Jupiter, "have felt his presence where we fell deep into the abyss. I suggest we all prepare for the oncoming storm, because it will come whether tomorrow or in a few years. That is all."

And then she gave a short bow to the Praetor once more and sat down.

" _Damn,"_  Marlene said with an arched eyebrow, "that was dramatic."

"But also true," Andy countered as yells broke out again. "It's going to be a long day."

"But we have no way of knowing that this is truly the Time Lord!" Brandon Charey, descendent of Favonius and senator of Second Cohort had to yell to be heard as it was.

"Are you blind or deaf?" demanded Senator Caroline Valos, daughter of Proserpina, standing angrily, her eyes sparking. Her mother, while being the goddess of springtime, was also the Queen of the Underworld. "Even a simpleton like you should have been able to sense the ripple from Tartarus! I'm assuming it occurred when Jason and Andy escaped from its depths."

"If it was from two days ago," Jason replied, "then definitely."

Mutters broke out and Marlene made a noise of annoyance.

"Oh, I'm  _so_  sorry," she drawled, "maybe Andy and Grace should have stayed in Hell and not brought the Spirit of Hope back with them, yes, that's a  _lovely_  plan."

A few snorts followed her words and Andy smirked widely.

"I should let you take point more often," she said with a laugh, "it's more fun for me."

"I do try," Marlene replied, not at all modest.

"Where is Spes, then?" another inquired.

"Safe with my father," Jason said, earning a few dubious looks.

Andy sighed, leaning her head slightly towards Marlene's. "Why do I get the feeling this is going to take all afternoon?"

"Because no one ever agrees with each other," Marlene replied, hiding her own smirk behind her hand and then she stiffened, glancing back up to where the veterans sat. "Hey, Andy, looks like you've got an admirer."

Andy's eyes followed to where she was looking, the green orbs widening when she caught sight of who Marlene was looking at.

Anyone would have been able to recognize the former Praetor, Michael Ferin, son of Timor, god of fear. He smiled at her in a way that was hardly comforting.

_Andromeda clutched her head, it was hot and throbbing under her hands as she rocked back and forth on the bed. "No, no," she whispered disjointedly, "don't-want-to-talk."_

" _You_  will  _tell me."_

She turned back around, her face white.

Marlene tapped the back of her hand lightly. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'll be fine once I get some distance between him and me," she muttered behind clenched teeth.

* * *

"You look like you just visited the Underworld," Percy noticed when the Andy returned, short two people, because Jason had obviously stayed behind and then she had to drop off Marlene at Camp Half-blood, back to where Callie had disappeared to.

"You would too if you had the kind of day I've had," Andy groaned as she plopped herself down on the couch, throwing an arm over her eyes.

"Better than dealing with school," Percy replied with a wide yawn, making Carmella snigger under her breath.

"How was the meeting?" Carmella asked.

"It probably would have been worse," Andy conceded, not bothering to move to address her, "a few people were being particularly difficult, but I suppose it's better to be aware of the Lord of Time than to fight blind."

Percy raised an eyebrow at her words and opened his mouth to speak when the door opened, announcing their mother's return from the airport with Harry who flung himself at his aunt the first chance he got, barely giving her time to stand to grab him.

"Aunty!"

"Yeah, it's me," Andy said with a grin, ruffling his wild dark hair affectionately. "Did you miss me?"

Harry nodded quickly.

"Good," Andy laughed, kneeling as he released her so she could get a good look at him, pressing a kiss to his forehead over his lightning bolt scar. His cheeks flushed slightly at the move. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you," she told him quietly. "You saved my ass."

"Andy," her mother reproached her for her language, but all Andy did was flash a grin in her direction.

"Don't worry, Mum," Andy laughed, "I said much worse in Tartarus."

Her siblings and nephew laughed while Sally Jackson sighed, but she smiled anyways, setting the groceries on the counter.

"Why don't you come in here and help your mum, then,  _Andromeda_ , for your language?" her mother said, emphasizing her full name and making her wince as she slouched into the kitchen, causing more laughter to erupt.

"Tell me seriously," Sally said barely above a whisper, "how bad is everything?"

Andy opened the fridge to slide in the jug of milk. "Three gods have gone to Saturn's side, but it might be awhile before he actually comes back with a physical body."

Sally expelled a slow sigh. "Good."

They had barely put away all the food when a sudden knock came to the door. And Andy's hand moved to the knife strapped to her thigh, removing it smoothly.

_They didn't use the buzzer._

Sally moved to answer it, all-too-aware of how Andy had moved subtly to position herself in front of Harry. If the boy was aware of it, he didn't show it.

She opened the door, surprised by the person standing beyond it. "Yes?" she said. "May I help you?"

The man spared her a small smile before lifting up a badge for her to see. "Detective Ferin, NYPD, I was wondering if a young girl named Andromeda lives here?"

Sally scrutinized him intently. "What do you want with my daughter?"

He arched an eyebrow as if surprised by their relation. "I just would like to talk to her, that's all…she hasn't committed any crimes that we know of."

He glanced beyond her and smirked. "Hello, Andromeda."

"Call me that again,  _snake_ ," Andy snarled, "and I'll shove my knife through your pancreas!"

The detective released a short laugh, unfazed by how dead serious Andy sounded, and Percy glanced uneasily between the two. He had never heard her speak in such a hateful tone.

"As charming as ever, Your Majesty," the man said the title in a mocking manner, giving her a low bow.

This, if it was possible, incensed Andy further and she released a dark growl, moving her blade forward before Carmella's hand pushed it down.

"There's a man in my custody that might interest you," Michael Ferin, son of Timor, said, as if he had not been inciting her previously.

"What man?" Sally asked warily on behalf of her daughter.

Michael's eyes barely flickered towards her. "Nox Bacchry, son of Bacchus."

If it was possible, the remaining color in Andy's cheeks was leeched from them at that very name.

"How dare you," she said, her voice trembling with strain, "how  _dare_  you! That man is dead! I killed him myself!"

Sally whipped around to look at her, stunned by her words, and Percy would have done so as well if Carmella hadn't mentioned days ago about her shoving a scalpel into his throat. Harry stiffened behind her and Carmella glared fiercely at the man.

"Then you wouldn't mind coming down to the station to identify him?" Michael offered.

Something deep inside Andy told her it would be better to run, but Andy had stopped being a coward long ago.

Still, she knew that she would regret her decision as soon as her agreed.

But there was no way that Nox Bacchry had survived, that all, she had stuck him with a particularly sharp scalpel, surely, even in her deranged state, she should have managed to knick some vein or artery that was vitally important.

Andy hoped and prayed, but part of her knew that it would be in vain. That day so many years ago had been very strange indeed and who was to say that miracles didn't go both ways.

* * *

Sally Jackson had never seen her strong and fierce daughter look so pale or so small before in her life as when Andy saw the man beyond the two-sided glass.

"Andy…" Sally's eyes softened as her fingers burrowed into her daughter's pale streaked hair from where her daughter was sitting, her knees to her chest and her face hidden. "Sweetie, look at me."

There were a number of things that her daughter hid from her, she wasn't happy about it, but it wasn't as though she could force the girl to tell her all her secrets.

Shattered green met blue and Sally wished she had asked her before what had happened to her to make her eyes like that.

Andy was very evasive about her past, but Sally had always known that something big had happened to her when she was a child. Her friends had eluded to it on multiple occasions and Sally knew of several scars that her daughter possessed.

"Who is this man?" she asked Andy gently, cupping one of her now-pale cheeks in her hands. "What did he do to you?"

Sally could have imagined the worst, but she forced herself not to.

"I can count how many people I've told about what happened on one hand," Andy said finally, raising a hand to trap Sally's to her face, as if she drew strength from her mother's touch. "And only two were because I chose to tell people. I told Senator Bill Weasley weeks after it happened, after being traumatized by Praetor Michael Ferin who forced me to tell him once I regained my wits." Anger clouded Sally's eyes as she recalled the way that Andy had responded to Detective Ferin's sudden appearance at their door. "And then I told Jason when we were in Tartarus…I didn't want to tell the girls or you or Percy."

"Why not?" Sally asked her.

"Because, I-I—" Andy bit down hard on her lip, so hard that it nearly bled. "I know how some people look at me because of what happened, like I'm a victim, like I'm someone to be  _pitied_ , but I'm not!" Fire had entered her eyes and for a moment Sally saw so much of herself in her child. "I  _survived_ , I'm  _not_  a victim!"

Sally didn't answer her, she simply pulled her into a hug that was warm and tight. "No," she murmured into her hair, "you're not. You're a fighter and nothing will ever change that."

"He made me into a monster," Andy admitted, finally releasing a sob, her tears slowly falling from her eyes to land on her mother's shoulder.

"And then you turned yourself into a heroine," Sally said, leaning back so that she could wipe the tears from her daughter's face, an action she couldn't quite recall performing before.

"Mum…" Andy sounded exasperated, as though her mother was missing a rather important part.

"Andromeda Atalanta Jackson-Black."

Andy winced at the full use of her name.

"You were not given that name because it sounded pretty," Sally continued.

"I wasn't given Black, I just tacked it on," Andy grumbled under her breath, but she was disregarded.

"Andromeda was a great queen and her name meant "leader of men" and Atalanta was a spirited woman of great strength…I gave you these names because when the odds were against you on the day you were born, you survived," Sally told her.

"That's only because Asteria convinced Zeus," Andy disagreed.

"And why do you think Lady Asteria did that?" Sally retorted with an arched eyebrow.

Andy glared in return, but she didn't offer an explanation. It wasn't as though her mother actually knew that she was Andromeda, that she bore the soul of the only woman who had ever claimed the heart of Perseus, son of Zeus.

"It's because your life means something, Andy," Sally said, lifting her daughter's chin with her hand, "it is as precious to me as Percy's, as Harry's, and as Carmella's."

Andy's lips twitched upwards faintly.

"You don't have to talk to him," Sally added, "and even if you do, I'll go in wit—"

"No!" Andy said suddenly, her pallor fading as her cheeks gained their olive tone once more, though it wasn't close to the color it was usually. "I want to talk to him alone…I don't want him to see you."

Sally sighed. The problem with her children was that they always seemed to try to protect her from far too much. Andy and Percy were like their father in that aspect. "Alright, but you get up and leave if it becomes too much?" She knew Andy wouldn't, but it soothed Sally's heart when she agreed. "Good girl…now go and wash your face and we'll get back to the detectives."

Andy complied with her mother's demands, disappearing into the ladies room only to reappear moments later, noticeably calmer and they walked back to the detectives' sides.

"I'm not sure this is the best idea," Detective James Corby was telling his partner when they returned. "Letting a little girl in there with him might not be the wisest course of action."

Personally, Andy had nothing against the man, other than the fact that he worked with Michael Ferin, the pair working as American Auror liaisons between the muggle and magical governments of the US. She did however hate being considered a 'little girl' even given her age.

"That's why you're not going in, I am," Andy said, always happy to insult authority figures, even if it earned her the reproach of her mother who gave her a firm stare.

Annoyance crossed the older man's face at her words.

"Surely I have the right to," Andy added, scowling towards Michael Ferin, "because the only way you're getting this—" She held up the file that Winter had helped her compile when she was alive concerning Project Omega. "—is if you let me talk to him alone."

She was daring him and wouldn't step down, Michael knew enough about Andromeda Snow (as that was the only name he knew her by), to know that she would dig her heels into the ground and fight to get her way.

So, he conceded.

* * *

When Andy opened the door to the interrogation room, she almost walked right out. The only god she had ever truly feared was Cupid, but she would have rather taken another arrow to the heart if it meant she could avoid being near Nox Bacchry.

He was just as she remembered. Purple eyes so dark that they were nearly plum, dark hair hanging loose around his face, his square jaw twitching in irritation.

Then he looked up and a smirk morphed onto his lips.

It revolted Andy.

"If it isn't Omega herself," he said in a voice that could have been considered a purr.

Andy tried not to let her disgust show.

"My  _name_ ," she said, her voice as frigid as a snowstorm, "is  _Andromeda_ , as I told you a thousand times before."

He shrugged, unconcerned by her anger as she sat down across from the table from him, straining from leaning as far away as she possibly could get from him.

" _Never show your weaknesses to those who can exploit them," Lupa had once said._

"What's the use of calling you by the name you've already held?" Nox said smirking.

"What's it like being the one in chains?" Andy replied.

A wide and cold grin split across his lips and he leaned forward. "What was it like being chained to that rock,  _naked_?"

Andy glared venomously, lifting two fingers. "I will electrocute you," she promised, "then it won't matter that I missed your jugular vein."

She could still see the spot where the scalpel had connected with his flesh. It had left a very impressive scar, impressive only because Andy had been seven years old and out of her mind at the time.

He chuckled slightly, leaning back in his chair. "I'm surprised you can still walk," Nox said, "considering—"

"You can thank your father for that," Andy said, flipping open the file that she and Winter had worked on for such an occasion as this. "Put me back together in time for your brother to challenge me to single combat, a duel to the death." A sickeningly sweet smile made its way onto her face. "I don't need to tell you that he lost."

Anger flickered in his eyes and he shifted as though wanting to strike her, but restraining himself, though only barely.

She had not lied. Leo Bacchry (son of Bacchus as well, but the apple had not fallen far from the tree, as she had discovered) had claimed her to be a liar when word had gotten around that Nox Bacchry was the one that captured and tortured her, and he challenged her to combat. He had claimed his brother innocent, but she had proven him wrong.

After all, it wouldn't have been possible to give herself all those scars, especially the ones to her back, as one of the Criminal Justice majors in New Rome had pointed out.

"What's it like being Saturn's bitch?" Andy asked, arching an eyebrow.

His mouth twisted. "How's the back?"

Her cold smile widened. "How would you like to be stabbed?"

If she was the way she'd been when she got out of the hellhole he'd trapped her in, he would already be dead. It had taken a lot of work for Andy to gain back the humanity that she had thought she had lost (ironically, during that time she had temporarily ascended to immortality).

"You worked very hard to damage me," Andy said next, keeping her voice as mild as she could manage. "It's a pity that after all that torture nothing stuck…I suppose you thought you could break me down by using my body as a cutting board and when that didn't work, well, why not use the Cruciatus and wreck havoc on my mind?"

Her hands were shaking under the table, but her voice was steady and angry.

"Worked, didn't it?" Nox replied with a smirk. "And your screams were  _beautiful."_

Something inside Andy snapped and she stood, throwing a fist so that it collided with his jaw before she reeled herself back in.

" _You shut up,"_  she seethed. "You're  _sick_ ,  _sick in the head!_  What you did to me was something even your father would never lower himself to do! And all for what? For a titan lord who tried so hard to separate Andromeda from Perseus?" She sneered. "Well, he  _failed_ , he failed  _so_  many times. Because Perseus always comes back to me in the end, dead or alive, and he was right to fear us, because he is as dangerous as I am, I can assure you."

"You are hardly dangerous," Nox laughed, ignoring his throbbing jaw.

" _I_ am the daughter of Neptune, child of one of the eldest gods," Andy growled,  _"I_  was raised by three women gifted in very different ways, and one of them was a goddess. _I_  walked through Tartarus with a son of Jupiter to return Spes to the world. _I_  am the one they call Andromeda the Wolf, so, yes, son of Bacchus, I am  _very_  dangerous."

Her fingers sparked in warning and wisely Nox leaned back, ascertaining that she might make good on her promise to electrocute him from earlier.

"You know," Andy said in contemplation, "considering that you were born in Britain and attended Hogwarts and used the Cruciatus Curse on a member of one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight…life in Azkaban would give me great happiness."

The smile fell off his face.  _"You're lying."_

She bared her teeth in a wolfish grin. "I was blood-adopted into the Black family,  _mongrel_ , and I will see you  _rot_  in hell for what you have done to me."

He made to reach for her, but Andy was too quick, pulling the blade at her thigh free and slicing through the center of his palm, retracting it as he cried in agony.

" _Never_  touch me," Andy snarled as she stood, nearly ripping the door off its hinges as she walked through it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I might have made Andy seem a bit darker towards the end, but you need to remember that Andy's gotten a lot of scars from Nox Bacchry, he's done a lot of damage to her and she probably could have had him drawn and quartered if she wanted, but he deserves a nice slow death.
> 
> I hope I portrayed her well enough when faced with the man she fears most.


	13. A Brief Respite

"I would've thought she'd've wanted to stay in," Percy admitted that weekend when their mother had declared they would be spending the day at Montauk swimming and sunbathing. Percy was sure she was doing it for Andy's benefit, to get her out of the house.

Andy's story made Percy violently ill when she finally told it to the family with Aeton whining mournfully on her lap. He didn't think that he would have survived what she had gone through; Andy would always be the stronger of the two. She didn't show them the scars on her back, but she did show them all pictures of the scars, which explained a great deal why she always wore a loose and large shirt over her shoulders and over her tankini and long shorts that boys usually wore when they went to Montauk.

"Andy really likes the beach," Carmella told him quietly, as they unpacked their towels and cooler. "It'll be a nice distraction for all of us."

"Harry!" Sally shut the driver's car door as she called out to her fleet-footed grandson who was nearly at the beach. "Come back here and get your towel and wait until we've got a spot before you rush off again!"

Sulking, Harry loped back to the car to grab his towel, dancing from foot to foot, eager to jump into the surf.

"Aunty, hurry up!" he said, tugging on her olive arm as she climbed out of the car, her pale and streaked hair a blinding beacon in the sunlight.

Andy fixed a pair of sunglasses over her eyes. "Sweetheart," she said dryly, "the beach isn't going anywhere and your dear old aunt is old and slow."

Carmella burst into giggles and Percy sniggered with her as Sally smiled.

"You're only a few years older than me!" Harry cried.

"Ah, but I house the soul of an ancient queen of Mycenae, my dearest nephew," Andy said with a faint grin as she spoke in a solemn manner that Carmella was certain she was faking. "Therefore I am eldest in practically all things."

Percy snorted again. "Sure, you are." He threw her towel at her, but she snagged it easily out of the air as she allowed herself to be dragged forward to an empty patch of sand yet to be occupied.

Andy tossed her towel onto the sand and flopped down with a groan. "If I see another car, it'll be too soon!"

"You'll be getting back into one in a few hours," Sally told her with a slight smile, causing the girl to groan louder as she turned on her side.

"You're not coming with us, Aunty?" Harry demanded, prodding at her shoulder.

Andy gave a grunt in reply, waving hand towards him as if trying to swat him. "I'll be in there sooner or later, gimme a breather…"

Harry pouted, looking more than a bit put out (Andy was his favorite of all his aunts and uncles, after all).

"Don't worry about it, Harry," Carmella grinned, "We'll distract you until she's regained her senses."

Harry giggled while Percy sniggered and Sally could only shake her head slightly.

"If you meet any hot guys," Carmella added as they began to walk away, "holler, yeah?"

"I know your type," Andy called back to her, "and I'm pretty sure he's in Scotland at this time!"

Andy missed the scowl that morphed onto Carmella's face at the mention of the boy in question as she plopped her head back onto where her arms were crossed behind her head, squinting her eyes behind her sunglasses as she did so.

It was nice being back to the beach, they hadn't in what felt like a very long time (which was very apt, considering it had been cold and chilly for months upon months –it reminded Andy of the weather in Britain, and she found that she preferred Camp Jupiter's warmth more than anything else) and Andy was determined to soak up as much sun as she possibly could in one sitting.

She'd join the others at some point, she knew, but she liked to have a few moments to herself.

Andy expelled a very loud sigh, removing one hand from where it had rested behind her to pull it in front of her and raise it to the new scar over her heart that not even her loose shirt and swimsuit could hide (though, she supposed if she buttoned the shirt all the way up, she might).

She winced, feeling a sharp jarring pain from her touch to the scar and she withdrew her hand quickly.

When she had told her tale of woe to her family, there were a number of things she glossed over, as Harry had been there, and included in the glossing-over was how she had gotten the scar and why she wasn't texting or calling Nico anymore.

His name tasted like ash in her mouth.

"It's complicated," she had said when it had been brought up, "don't worry about it…besides, twelve's a bit young to be dating anyways."

Her mother had arched an eyebrow at that as if to say "And that stopped you?" but she didn't comment much on it afterwards, which Andy appreciated.

Thinking about him was as painful as saying his name.

Andy suspected that Cupid had something to do with that, something which only served to fuel her anger towards the god.

"Mind if I sit?"

Andy blinked and sat up quickly, staring at the girl who had sat down beside her without waiting for her response. She didn't look amiss on the beach with her silver bikini and her own sunglasses perched on her nose with dark messy hair hiked up into a loose bun.

The girl grinned widely as she raised a hand to shift the sunglasses downwards slightly so that Andy could see the smoky blue color of her irises.

A pale eyebrow rose. "Is this you in incognito?"

Asteria's lips curled upwards slightly into a hint of a smile. "Wearing a toga in this atmosphere would draw unwanted attention towards me…and you know how I loathe that."

"I've gathered," Andy replied in a dry manner. "That explains a lot about how you've managed to avoid Zeus so well."

The slight smile bloomed into a superior smirk. "You are not wrong," she said, "but my love Perses incites much fear into Zeus. It does not do to anger the Titan of Destruction."

"No," Andy agreed, her eyes fastening out into the water where she could hear the laughter of her family and the giggles of Harry as he was splashed by Carmella. "Can I ask you something?"

"Will you like the answer?" Asteria replied just as easily.

This, Andy ignored.

"I was bound in chains that night," Andy said slowly, wincing her eyes shut as she tried not to think about Nox Bacchry or anything about the incident. "Breaking them wouldn't have been easy without a little help."

Asteria smiled serenely, but she offered no explanation.

"And then I fell off the cliff and somehow appeared just outside New Rome," Andy said, throwing a look towards the titaness.

"It's funny how some things happen," Asteria said, but Andy wasn't fooled so she sighed. "You do not measure how much your life is worth as greatly as I do."

"Because of that stupid prophecy?" Andy grumbled.

"Among many things," Asteria said, "but that prophecy was made centuries before you were born. The reason you live, daughter of Neptune, is because  _you_  make all the difference. You were born to die, that is what Kronos desired, but the reason I convinced Zeus to save you is not so simple."

Andy lifted her eyes from the endless surf to look upon her.

"The Fates had a plan for you, and they beseeched me, knowing I would be predisposed to assist you, given the prophecy," Asteria admitted. "I helped you escape because I know what you will become."

"And you still indulge as if I was Calliope."

Asteria's smile became slightly strained at the mention of her deceased daughter.

"You're up to something," Andy said, narrowing her eyes slightly, not quite sure if she should believe the words that came out of Asteria's mouth (she was, after all, quite fond of mind games). "I dunno what, but until I figure out what, I'm just going to go play in the water with my mum, siblings, and nephew."

And with that said, Andy pushed her sunglasses back up the bridge of her nose before standing and striding off towards where her family was, joining in and leaping onto her brother's back and forcing him into the water before he quickly retaliated.

For a moment, Andy didn't have to think about Greece or Rome, or Nico, or Nox, or Asteria, but then that moment was over.

* * *

"Hello."

Mary Corbert, Secretary of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in Britain, almost didn't look up at the sound of the young voice, but there was something a bit off about the accent. And then Mary had to stare.

The girl couldn't have been more than twelve years old with wild white curls that were strangely streaked with a dark blue –the fads of children these days– with a strange shade of green for the color of her eyes. With her dark clothes and army jacket, Mary rather thought she wouldn't have been out of place at a Weird Sister's concert.

"Can I help you…?" Mary asked with a smile, leaving a space open for the girl's name.

"Andromeda," she said, "Jackson-Black."

Mary's smile fell off her face when she said 'Black' and the girl smiled widely in a sickeningly sweet manner.

"I'd like to sue this department for the Wrongful Imprisonment of a member of the Noble And Most Ancient House of Black, Sirius Black."

"Er…" Mary was goggling at her now. "I think you'll want to talk to my boss…" She almost tripped over the black wolf standing by the girl's feet as she rushed towards Madam Bones' room.

Andy arched an eyebrow towards her familiar and Aeton gave her a bark in reply.

"Hm, I think you're right," Andy mused, "that woman is a bit witless when it comes to the Black name."

She could hear voices coming from the office at the end and then the secretary appeared once more.

"Miss Black," she said nervously, "Madam Bones will see you now."

Annoyance crossed Andy's face at the Jackson bit of her name being left out, but this was usual when she was dealing with the Wizarding world. But she walked in the direction of the room nonetheless with Aeton loping at her side until she pulled the door shut behind her to gaze upon the woman she had to convince.

Madam Bones looked like one tough cookie with a rather severe expression that Andy thought wouldn't have looked amiss on Minerva's (or Athena's, depending on the perspective of the beholder) face. And the monocle only added to her first impression.

"Miss Black," the woman said in a no-nonsense sort of voice, and Andy had to correct her.

"It's Jackson-Black, actually," Andy told her as she slid her palm against hers, giving a firm shake.

The Head of the DMLE arched an eyebrow, nearly displacing her monocle. "Is that so? Well, do take a seat, Miss Jackson-Black, I understand you wish to lodge a complaint against the department?"

Andy thought she said these words with remarkably good grace as they both sat with Aeton milling about at Andy's feet.

"Yes," Andy said diplomatically, "I believe my step-brother Sirius Orion Black has been wrongfully imprisoned as a Death Eater, the murderer of Peter Pettigrew and thirteen Muggles, and the betrayer of my half-sister Lily Evans and her husband James Potter."

To her credit, Madam Bones barely blinked.

"It has been eight years since Sirius Black's imprisonment," she said, interlocking her fingers on her desk, "and it has one that has never been contested before now."

Green eyes narrowed slightly and Madam Bones thought for a moment Miss Jackson-Black looked indeed very much like her half-sister. "I find it peculiar," Andy said, "that known Death Eaters who bore the Dark Mark were released, when my brother who doesn't bear the Mark rots in a cell that shouldn't even be his."

Madam Bones shifted her shoulders uncomfortably. Truth be told, she found it as remarkably strange as the young girl before her. She was just as certain that gold had changed hands, after all, how could that many rich Death Eaters have been suddenly found to be under the Imperius Curse and pardoned so suddenly.

"You wouldn't be wrong," she said with a sigh. "The records during the time of Sirius Black's arrest are not as great as we'd like to think, a lot of mistakes were made, especially considering that the time of the arrest was at the tail-end of the First Wizarding War—"

"I don't see how that excuses this…miscarriage of justice," Andy interrupted her.

"It doesn't," Madam Bones admitted, "but it is an explanation of sorts, and it was felt that given Sirius' family and relations to Death Eaters a trial wasn't necessary."

"Sounds like a corrupt government," Andy said, raking a hand through her hair and making the curls wilder than ever. "It was simpler in Mycenae," she mused.

"I beg your pardon?" Madam Bones asked in confusion.

"It's nothing," Andy said, her eyes shifting back into focus. "I'll make you a deal," she decided, "I won't sue your department if you reopen his case and allow me to visit my step-brother in Azkaban."

Madam Bones paused briefly to look at her in a slightly incredulous manner. "You actually want to go to Azkaban? Miss Jackson-Black, it's not really a pleasant place to be, in the mildest sense."

"Well, the last dementor that attacked me got Harpe in the face, so I'm not really that worried," Andy said dryly.

"H-Harpe?" Madam Bones repeated the word strangely.

Andy reached towards a spot at her waist and for a moment, Madam Bones could see a sword glittering there, bronze and with a wolf-carved hilt. "The sword of Perseus, son of Zeus. I'd read up on your mythology, Madam, you're about to be thrown headlong into it."

Madam Bones was well informed of the world of the Olympian gods, but she schooled her features so that complete and utter confusion was prevalent on the Head of the DMLE's face as Andy stood.

"One more thing," Andy said, "whatever happened to his wand?"

"Well, it was snapped when he was arrested," Madam Pomfrey admitted. "And there's no way to repair it—"

Andy couldn't resist snorting at that. "You really think no one can fix a broken wand?" she asked, clearly amused. "Obviously, you've never met a decent child of Hecate. Give it to me and I'll find someone who can fix it."

Madam Bones found Andromeda Jackson-Black to be, in short, a rather curious girl albeit more than a bit headstrong.

* * *

Sirius Black didn't think much from where he was slumped against the wall of his prison cell. Most of the dementors passed by him with only a curious towards him. This was because Sirius' thoughts didn't linger on his dark past, and his only thoughts were neither good nor bad; these thoughts were  _I am innocent._

He counted how many dementors passed his cell before something new occurred that day.

His cell door was wrenched open and he was grabbed by two men wearing the Auror uniform that he himself had once donned.

"Wazzgoingon?" he slurred his words together, his voice croaky.

The dark-skinned one with equally dark eyes was the only one who didn't sneer at him and restrain from smacking him along his head as they situated shackles on his wrists. Sirius surmised that he was the level-headed of the two.

"You have a visitor," he said in a deep voice.

A faint light made Sirius' eyes almost the color of silver. "Remus?" he rasped with difficulty, vainly hoping against hope that his friend knew that he hadn't been the one that betrayed the Potters.

"No, a young girl," the dark-eyed one said as they pulled him along a dark hallway in the main structure before Sirius was shoved into the bright light of a room that held only two chairs.

One was occupied.

At first, Sirius thought that it was just his eyes adjusting to the light, but her hair was indeed pure white (with streaks of blue that were just as strange). Her green eyes were the thing that caught him the most, as Sirius had only ever seen that color on two people, Lily Evans and his godson, Harry Potter.

Against his will, the name "Lily" escaped his lips and the unknown girl's lips twisted upwards slightly. It was not quite a smile, but it did convey how amused she was by his response.

"Not quite," she said in a voice that had a several octave difference from Lily's, being a bit lower than how she had generally spoke. "I am her half-sister, though."

"Half-sister?" Sirius rasped, in complete confusion as the girl thrust a hand into a pouch at her waist, her whole arm disappearing within to procure a water bottle, offering it to him as he came closer.

He probably should have tested it for poisons, but he was too grateful to swallow pure water.

"That's right," she said, "we share a godly father."

Sirius paused after a few feverish gulps to look at her, glancing her up and down. Like a number of Wizarding families, he was well aware that the Gods of Olympus were as real as anything that could be touched. He knew all-too-well that the Black line included the blood of Venus, goddess of love. That was how Metamorphmagi came into existence and could only be found within the Black family.

"Poseidon?" he guessed, remembering how Lily had explained her complicated relationship with her father.

"Neptune, actually," the green-eyed girl corrected him with a smirk, "and also blood-adopted into the Black family."

This time, Sirius choked on his water, clearing his throat with difficulty. "W-What?"

"My name is Andromeda Jackson-Black," she told him, smirking now, "but everyone calls me Andy, 'Andromeda' is a bit of a mouthful."

Well, she wasn't wrong. Sirius could remember his cousin, who was also named Andromeda, always complaining about how cumbersome her name was.

"I didn't even know that you existed, I mean, in the family," Andy told him quite honestly as she looked him up and down as he had a few moments ago, only towards her. "Walburga made it out as though she had only one son, Regulus—"

Sirius couldn't resist a rustic snort at those words. "I ran away when I was sixteen."

Andy arched an eyebrow, but she didn't comment on it. "Regulus was the one who convinced me to look into you for his sake, because he didn't believe you were guilty of the deaths of James and Lily Potter."

"I— wait, Reggy's alive?" Sirius flashed from one thought to the next.

"Don't be foolish," Andy scoffed, waving her hand carelessly. "Regulus has been dead for years…by drowning, I believe Letus said it was."

A pang of sadness stabbed through Sirius' heart like a knife. It was true that he and his brother had had many difficulties in their years, mostly due to Sirius defying his family's wishes and becoming a Gryffindor and fighting on the side of the Order of the Phoenix rather than Voldemort, as Regulus had.

"I…see," he said quietly.

"He told me you would never betray James," Andy continued, her eyes fastening on his and Sirius had see that her eyes were very different from Lily's, there was something about them that was almost broken; Sirius almost wanted to ask how exactly her eyes had come to look like that, but he thought it best not to bring it up at this time. "Would you?"

She was imploring him, trying to see if he would lie or tell the truth…it was a very sneaky tactic, he thought. That must have been one of the only reasons she came to Azkaban; so that she might look upon his face when she asked him about the events that led to the death of Lily and James Potter.

He leaned forward slightly in the chair he was now occupying, the plastic bottle completely empty hanging loosely in his hand.

"I would rather have died than betray James to Voldemort," he said, his voice so raw with emotion and his eyes burning a fierce silver, almost insulted that she had to ask.

Andy's eyes narrowed briefly. "Alrighty, then." And then she did something that surprised him; she pulled out a strange device that lit up and Sirius thought back to his Muggle Studies courses, thinking it rather looked like a mobile, but he couldn't really be sure.

Andy punched a number into it and held it up to her ear. "Hey, Mum…no, everything's fine…is Harry there?"

She glanced up to see Sirius' jaw unhinge at the mention of his godson. Then she groaned. "Mum! I told you I'd do it when I got home!" She had actually been told to wash the dishes before she left, which her mother firmly informed her of.

Andy's cheeks dusted faintly pink as her step-brother arched an eyebrow at her. "Mum, just get Harry, would you…please?"

A moment later she held the device out to him and he took it with both of his shackled hands, holding it up to his ear with difficulty, trying best to duplicate how she had held it.

"Hello?" a young voice said on the opposite end and Sirius' heart clenched. He supposed she could've been pulling his leg and just had a young kid answer it, but he was almost certain that this girl –who he barely even knew– couldn't have been that cruel.

"H-Hello," he managed with difficulty.

"Aunty says you're innocent," Harry said quietly, "but you're in jail because of the night that my parents died."

Sirius wished he could say it as easily as his godson could, like it was a simple fact, but Harry had far less memories of them and far less reasons to miss them.

"That's right," he croaked.

"Aunty says she's going to raise a lot of hell to get you out," Harry told him before a voice in the background could be heard, no doubt chastising the boy from the use of 'hell'.

Andy took the phone back from her step-brother. "Sirius has to go, Harry, and I'll see you at home real soon, alright?"

She barely waited for a reply before shoving the mobile back into her pants pocket and Sirius found he would have liked to talk a bit longer with the boy.

"Why do you want to get me out of here, anyways?" Sirius asked her suddenly. "You don't know me."

Andy's eyes softened briefly. "Because I promised your brother I would…and I have threatened to sue the DMLE if they don't reopen your case," she admitted a bit sheepishly, "several people aren't too happy about that, but that's their problem."

Sirius could only gape at her open mouthed as he was led back to her cell and the twelve year old waved cheerily at him.


	14. Return to Camp

Sneaking into the Jackson apartment was a lot harder than it appeared to be, especially when one considered just how many part-god beings dwelled inside, but somehow she managed to make it into one room. She'd been hoping it would be Andy's or Carmella's, that would have been considerably less awkward, but, no, she ended up in Percy's…while he was still asleep.

Annabeth could just feel her invisible cheeks enflaming when he shot suddenly wake, glancing around wildly before turning his attention on her briefly. For a moment she thought he had seen her, but then he reached for the pen his sword masked itself as.

Annabeth froze as a woman's voice called from the opposite side of the door "Percy, you're going to be late," and when Percy's eyes shifted from the door and back, all he could do with shake his head and Annabeth breathed a silent sigh of relief, making her escape as he grabbed his clothes and disappeared out the door, heading for the bathroom.

Andy and Carmella were both awake, though Carmella looked much less pleased about it than Andy who was sitting at the counter, her legs crossed under it, one jerking every so often as if to a tune with her magically-charmed cell phone to her ear.

"I can't believe I told a daughter of Athena to look up her mythology," Andy said in a slightly embarrassed tone. "It's so hard to tell, but I suppose the grey eyes should've made it obvious."

Noise buzzed from the opposite end and Annabeth would've bet her bronze knife that was either Callie or Marlene; they hardly ever seemed to be out of contact with each other. Marlene and Callie were going on a mission with a satyr, though, to pick up a new demigod and bring them to the camp, so it was likely Andy and Carmella wouldn't see much of their friends for a short while.

"Like you would have done any better!" Andy said scowling, her cheeks dusting pink.  _"Marlene!"_

Carmella was practically inhaling her cereal on Andy's left side, ignoring the official-looking letter in front of her that bore her name.

" _Argh!_  Fine, we'll just see you when you two get back. Give the Owl our love."

Carmella sniggered at that before Andy snapped the phone shut.

"I'm not sure how I feel about you girls attending a boarding school in Scotland," Sally said, now that she had her daughter's full attention. "You'll be so far away…"

"It's not like there are any Wizarding schools around here that would take us," Carmella reminded her. "Hogwarts isn't too bad, I suppose, it's quite prestigious."

"I'll try not to damage it too badly," Andy said with a grin as sleepy-eyed Harry stumbled into the kitchen. "Hey, Harry!"

The grandson of Poseidon tripped over Aeton's tail on his way to a chair.

"'Lo," the boy slurred as he finally made it into a chair. "I had a weird dream."

"We should start a club, then," Carmella told him, "seeing as that's the only kind of dreams we seem to have…well, maybe it's not so weird for Andy, having a King visit her every night."

Andy glared at her, the pink of her cheeks deepening to a red. "I will have you know that Perseus has not visited me since I fell into Tartarus," she sniffed, "and there is nothing wrong with him visiting me, seeing as we were once married."

Annabeth couldn't help but arch an eyebrow where she was standing hidden.

"That was eons ago," Carmella disagreed before Andy cut across her.

"Oh, Mum," she cried dramatically, "one of the reasons why Carmella isn't complaining that we'll be so far from home at Hogwarts is because a certain lad that goes there has caught her eye!"

Carmella looked quite like she had gotten a nasty sunburn and Sally smiled, leaning forward in a conspirator-like manner. "Oh? Do tell, what type of boy does Carmella go for?"

The girl in question began to splutter incoherent words.

"He'll be going into second year, won't he, Mella?" This was obviously rhetorical. "Blue eyes, freckles, ginger, with a love for pranking and these  _gorgeous_  violet eyes—"

Andy fluttered her eyelashes towards Carmella in a flirtatious manner right before the girl managed to clamp her hand over the white-haired girl's mouth as Harry watched in fascination.

Annabeth almost wished she visited the Jacksons more; family dinners must be a riot.

"One more word and I'm shoving a poisoned arrow down your throat!"

Andy grumbled something behind her hand that Annabeth was sure translated to "I dare you." And it was hardly a response that surprised Annabeth, to be completely honest.

"Girls, no weapons at the table," Sally reminded them and both had to relent.

"We still get to come back home for Christmas and Easter break," Andy added, going off of their original conversation, which had, no doubt, a great deal to do with the school they would be attending in September.

"And we'll write and call a lot," Carmella said, bobbing her head in agreement. "It'll be like we aren't even gone at all."

"I'm sure," Sally said as she removed blue eggs from the stove and Andy grabbed a fork and stabbed it into the pan before her mother smacked her hand. "Hands off!"

Andy grinned, stuffing the blue eggs into her mouth with a bit of sassy flair, earning her a stern look from her mother.

"Can I have a waffle?" Harry asked.

"You most certainly can," Sally told him, ruffling his hair affectionately, "as long as you don't give your aunts any."

" _Hey!"_

" _Oi!"_

Harry beamed as Percy slouched into the room, his dark hair falling into his eyes, looking adorable in Annabeth's not so modest opinion.

"You've lasted longer than Carmella and I in school, congrats," Andy said lifting her cup of water in a salute of sorts, smirking widely, "if you manage to screw it up on the last day Mella owes me five galleons."

" _Andy,"_  Sally warned.

"Just saying," Andy said, grinning wider still and not for the first time Annabeth wished she had such an easy-going relationship with her own family. (And she saw how several surreptitious glances were thrown the way of the daughter of Poseidon and then Annabeth saw more clearly just how dark the circles were under her eyes from sleepless nights and how her olive cheeks were a few shades off from their usual color, and Annabeth couldn't help but be grateful on Andy's behalf for the care of her family.)

* * *

Andy Jackson-Black was used to stares, as they had been ever-present in her lifetime, whether from the name 'Black' (which still drew glowers and sneers) or from her father or even her past as a torture victim.

It seemed she now needed to add  _'one of the only living demigods to return from Tartarus alive'_  to that list.

Harry tugged on her arm. "Aren't they staring more than usual?" he asked curiously, causing Carmella to snort on Harry's opposite side.

"I imagine that might have something to do with your aunt's adventure into hell," Carmella told him wryly, using head as an armrest until he shrugged himself free with a scowl.

"Harry," Andy said, directing her nephew's attention upwards to meet her eyes with eyes of a similar shade of green, "why don't you take your bag to Cabin Three and head over to the arena to practice your archery?"

Harry narrowed his eyes suspiciously and Carmella smirked. Harry was well aware of his aunt's efforts to keep him away from the 'Sirius Issue' as she had put it. Once it had been made public that the case had been reopened, the backlash that had ensued was almost laughable, and by laughable Andy meant it was hilarious how many people were willing to believe that Sirius was the bad guy just based on his last name. So many people were willing to forget that actual Death Eaters with Dark Marks clear as day on their forearms had been released from Azkaban, but, then again, Sirius had been used as a scapegoat.

Harry knew very little about his godfather and Andy told him even less, thinking it best to let Sirius and Harry talk on their own once he was released (and make no mistake, he would be released, even if Andy had to raise hell to do it).

But he did as he was told, Carmella offering to help him with his aim, leaving Andy on her lonesome with a broken wand that needed mending.

And Andy knew just the person for the job.

She marched through the camp, passing by cabins as she searched for one in particular, the one that was very much overused. That was one of the things she hated about Camp Half-blood, how they only had cabins for children on the Olympians, only for the major gods. At Camp Jupiter all demigods were accepted, including their children and descendents. It was a pity that its Greek counterpart didn't see things the same way.

Conner Stoll saw her first and his mouth dropped open and Travis barely managed not to do the same.

"Hey, uh, Andy," he stumbled over his words, "you need something?"

"Is Lou Ellen in?" Andy asked without preamble, her eyes flitting between them.

The pair shared a glance. "Um, we'll go check." And then they vanished inside their cabin to look for the girl in question as Andy tapped her foot lightly and impatiently against the grass, waiting for the daughter of Hecate to appear.

"Yo," Lou Ellen said, her voice light and airy as she grinned widely at the girl that had formerly been the patron goddess of her home prior to its burning down.

Andy noticed she hadn't changed much. Her brown hair had grown out over the year, but the dark streaks were just as obvious as her eyes were golden like the magical runes that Hecate's children were well known for using.

"Heard you were in need of my services," Lou said, waggling her eyebrows suggestively, making Andy roll her eyes.

"What would it cost me," she said instead, "for you to fix a broken wand?"

The smile fell off Lou's face as she contemplated what Andy was asking her. The trading of favors and monetary payment was very common between the two girls, though Andy was more likely to be the one forced to pay than Lou, Lou didn't ask for a lot of things, something that aggravated Andy to no end (at this rate she was going to owe the child of Magic her firstborn).

"Five galleons," she said, surprising Andy; Lou was never that cheap, "and…"

Andy paused in reaching for the coins in the pouch that was ever-present, tied to her waist. "And…?" she asked, slightly apprehensive.

Lou held her forefinger and thumb barely apart. "And just a little bit about your time in Tartarus."

The Stolls heads poked out of the doorway at her question, apparently –like much everyone else, Andy suspected– wanting to hear the details as well.

"Alright," Andy said, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Your mother tossed me down there with a fellow demigod—"

"Who?" Conner interrupted eagerly. "Percy?" He was the most likely choice, since it couldn't have been Carmella, Marlene, or Callie, because the daughter of Aphrodite (Venus) had woken up half the camp when she dragged her two friends out of bed after Andy's 'disappearance'.

"No," she said, "and I'm not at liberty to say." Jupiter would have her head for revealing his son, his  _very_   _Roman_   _son_ , to the Greeks. Just because several Romans were well assimilated into the Greek camp didn't mean that the two sides were meant to know about each other.

Conner pouted, but Andy wasn't fazed in the slightest.

"We fell right into the Acheron and nearly drowned," Andy told Lou, who was listening raptly as though Andy was an enthralling storyteller, which wasn't likely.

"But you're Poseidon's daughter!" Travis said, interrupting her. "You can't drown!"

"It's different in Tartarus," Andy said dryly. "I got us to safety and that's when I got this." She pulled her collar down slightly so that they could see the top of her still-healing scar from Cupid's Arrow.

"What monster gave you that?" Lou asked, her eyes a little wide.

"It was a god, actually," Andy replied, straightening out her shirt, "It was…Eros." Andy had to mentally remind herself of the Erotic God's Greek name. "He nearly broke the soul bond I have with someone…someone very important to me, and he erased his memory of me."

"I'm sorry, Andy," Lou said quietly, regret clear in her voice; it had been  _her_  mother that had dropped Andy into Tartarus in the first place.

"Don't worry about it," Andy admonished her, waving her hand in a careless manner. "It's not like he hasn't been Obliviated before." Or as close to being Obliviated as it could get. "Talk about a complicated love life."

"I don't get it," Conner said to his brother and Lou rolled her eyes. Hadn't this already been explained?

"It means he got his memory erased, genius," she said before turning back to Andy with a grin. "I heard notorious mass murderer Sirius Black's case is getting reopened…is that the wand you want me to repair?"

Andy smiled, withdrawing a thin box. "Right on; are you up for it?"

"Please," Lou scoffed as she took the box from her while the two Hermes brothers watched on in confusion. "I'm always up for mending wands…give me a few hours."

Andy gave a mocking salute, snorting at the still-confused Stolls (as many demigods who were not witches or wizards often were when faced with their terminology) as she moved away, walking aimlessly around camp.

She could go join Carmella and Harry for archery practice (she certainly needed some; being out of practice wasn't going to help her in the long run), but then she came upon a different thought.

There was someone that she needed to see.

"Andy!"

Andy blinked. She'd almost run into Castor Jones, son of Dionysus. "Sorry," she said, blinking rapidly to clear the fog before her eyes. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"It's fine," Castor told her.

"Do you know where your father is?" she very nearly blurted out, earning her a blatant stare in return.

"Oh!" he said, a bit startled and surprised by the question; it wasn't as though many people actually wanted to see his father. "He's probably at Big House…avoiding everyone, as usual."

Andy spared him a short laugh. "He works very hard at that, doesn't he?"

Castor couldn't stifle his own chuckle as it burst from his lips. "You know how he feels about demigods."

"Unfortunately," Andy agreed, tipping an invisible hat to him before striding off in the direction of Big House. It was a nice day, the grass was green and trees fluttered in the warm wind, but Andy didn't think much about the weather –and she never had, and had unfortunately been on the receiving end of some shivers once she had realized in the months leading up to winter that she was no longer impervious to the cold (that was the only downside of her fall from grace…among other things).

Dionysus was not as difficult to find as she had originally thought, because she knew just how elusive the god of wine and madness could be from first-hand experience (neither would ever mention the incident during which his elusive nature had been revealed, undoubtedly due to the fact that both had gained bruised egos during the encounter), and Andy found him sitting on the front porch, shuffling a deck of cards in a morose manner, owing no doubt to Chiron being relieved of his job and thus resulting in a loss of the only one who would play pinochle with him.

Deep plum-colored eyes met Andy's as she approached, inclining her head slightly in respect.

"Adeliade Johannson-Brown," he said, carefully screwing her name up as he did to all the demigods in his charge, "enjoy your time in the abyss?"

Andy's smile was brittle like glass. "My lord, if I enjoyed it, I would have stayed." Of course, the only one who knew of her plan to remain behind so that Jason could escape was Jason himself. "Do you mind if I sit?" she added, gesturing to the spot on the porch beside him.

Dionysus grunted in acknowledgement and Andy sat down, contemplating how exactly to phrase her next words.

"Nox Bacchry was found alive," she said finally, "per his attacks on a citizen of both the British and the American Magical Communities, he will undergo a trial, and possibly be sent to Azkaban."

Dionysus paused in his shuffling to give her a swift look. "Your suggestion, no doubt?"

"Did you expect me to do something different?" Andy countered.

Dionysus' eyes narrowed slightly as he took in her flat stare and the defiant jut of her chin. "No," Dionysus decided, "I suspect my son is beyond mercy from you." There was once a time that his (meaning Bacchus and Dionysus respectively) son had brought him joy in how capable he was. He had never had a child with so much skill in madness, but Nox had delved to deep and gone too far. His views became as dark and as black for the night which he was named.

Consorting with Kronos (or Saturn, considering that he was Roman)…it would result in a great punishment, even if he had not badly tortured the only daughter of Neptune and killed a son of Janus as well.

And Neptune's daughter had a long memory.

"But that's not why I'm here," Andy said, expelling a sigh, "I'm here to…offer my services, I suppose."

"Is that so?"

Andy's eyebrow twitched slightly in irritation at how seemingly unconcerned he sounded to be. "You were the one who healed my mind," she said with grating patience, clearly refraining from perhaps taking her knife and stabbing him in the thigh (or somewhere equally important), "therefore I owe you a debt that has not been paid in several years."

Dionysus appraised her. He honestly hadn't even expected her to acknowledge that she owed him a debt (perhaps even a life debt). "You do."

"I don't suppose there's anything you want me to do for you, then?" Andy asked him wryly.

Dionysus didn't answer her immediately, instead opting to take a swig from his Diet Coke. "I'll let you know."

* * *

Harry breathed out evenly, straightening his arrow in his bow before releasing it swiftly so that it lodged in the second ring from the center.

"That was really good," Carmella told him with a kindly smile when his face fell.

"But I've been practicing for weeks," Harry complained, stamping one foot angrily into the ground.

"Then you've still got to work at it," Andy said, barely blinking, "you'll get better eventually, you might even get as good as Mella." She grinned widely and winked at the violet-eyed girl who smirked.

"No one's as good as me," she corrected.

"I dunno," Andy wheedled, "the Hunters and Apollo's kids might give you a run for your money."

Carmella's face soured at that and Harry burst into giggles.

"Don't worry, kiddo," Andy added, her eyes twinkling in the light of the sun, "Mella's about as good with the sword as you are with the bow."

"Hey! I am not that bad with the sword!" Carmella cried, shaking a finger at the daughter of the sea.

"Sounds like denial to me," Andy sang before nudging Harry. "What d'you think?"

Harry nodded his head in a mock-serious manner and Carmella mouthed wordlessly at the pair.

"Ganging up on me, huh? That's hardly fair."

"We're Romans, we don't play fair," Andy snorted before freezing at what felt like a very small earthquake.  _"What the—?"_

"Was that an earthquake?" Harry asked, his eyes wide as he stared at the ground while Carmella's forehead wrinkled in confusion. It made sense that she hadn't felt it, after all, Harry and Andy were the respective grandson and daughter of the god who was sometimes referred to as 'the Earthshaker', tremors from earthquakes weren't so hard to perceive.

"It can't be," Andy said, glancing around with a frown on her face. "It wasn't big enough to be an earthquake."

And that was when she saw it, and her mouth parted slightly in shock.

"Oh my  _gods…"_

The other two followed her gaze to where Thalia's Pine stood guard over Camp Half-blood, and then Carmella saw what had elicited such a look from her adoptive-sister. The area around the great pine tree was rippling, similarly to how a calm lake would do so if a leaf fell to rest on its surface.

But then the ripples ceased, and for a moment, Andy allowed herself the naïve thought that perhaps Thalia, as sick as she was, had been able to keep the protective barrier up that separated the camp from the monsters just as the Tiber River did for Camp Jupiter, but it was a foolish thought and she was moving her legs fast towards Half-blood Hill ever before the sound of the Attack Horn that pierced through the air, signaling an enemy's attack.

"TO ARMS!" roared a familiar voice as Andy and Carmella barreled forward to join the border patrol as two bulls, made of bronze and as big as Hannibal, if Andy had to wager a guess, and they were breathing fire.

"Fuck!" Andy swore.

"Andy—!" Clarisse barked.

"On it!" Andy already knew what the daughter of Ares was thinking when she shot into the air with the aid of Carmella's ever-so-lovely enchanted shoes, drawing her arms towards the lake, which in turn caused the water to be drawn from it to hover over her head as though she was holding a great rock made of water. "Take this!"

"Get back!" Carmella yelled and the other campers scattered as the water formed into several icy spikes that Andy fired towards the ground.

Unfortunately, the bulls were quick and she only managed to nail one in the knee joint, but, fortunately, this slowed it down enough for her to give a war cry as she took up Harpe, warming at her touch and eager for the taste of monster-flesh (though, flesh was a rather relative term, considering the bulls were made of metal), and flew through the air to lodge the blade into what would have been the neck if it hadn't moved at the last second and was instead the shoulder.

The bull gave a roar as if in pain from the stab, reeling backwards before expelling flames from its angry mouth and rushing forward as Andy clung desperately to the wolf-shaped hilt of her blade so she wouldn't be either trampled to death or burned alive.


	15. The Aggravations of Tantalus

If there was one thing Andy hated it was getting her sword stuck in things, and Harpe had a nasty habit of being inclined to do so.

Andy's stomach was doing somersaults as she was swung to and fro from the Colchis Bull that she had stabbed her blade into as it seemed quite desperate to be rid of her; the feeling was mutual.

"Andy, get off it!" Andy couldn't entirely be sure who it was that was speaking, but what they were asking was easier said than done. Andy was already sporting a burn down the side of her arm from colliding with its metal skin.

"M'tryin'!" Andy swung away from the fire-breath that had been aimed at her, feeling the heat of it as she tightened her grip on her sword, bringing her feet up to the bull's foreleg, smoke curling around her soles before she managed to force her blade free and sending herself flying away.

"Andy!" Her brother's voice had joined the fray (when had he gotten there?) as Andy righted herself, adrenaline pumping through her veins, as she dodged the fire when a sudden jolt of fierce pain to her midsection forced her to her knees, releasing a pained yell through gritted teeth.

It was as though she'd hit something, but Andy was completely certain she hadn't. Besides, it was her 'weak spot' so to speak, her Achilles heel, in a sense.

 _You may have escaped Tartarus and survived my arrow_ , Cupid's cold voice echoed in her ears,  _but remember this pain, Andromeda Jackson-Black, remember the pain love has caused you._

 _Come on!_  Andy wanted to yell.  _Isn't enough that you nearly destroyed my soul bond? Now you've got to try to kill me in the middle of battle too?_

"Andy move!" Carmella screamed when Andy found herself bowled to the side by Annabeth.

"You alright?" the blonde daughter of Athena asked quickly as Andy put a hand to her stomach, but the pain had gone.

"Yeah, fine," Andy said, grabbing a spare spear that one of the campers running around with helmets on fire had dropped. "Oi! You piece of cowpat! Over here!"

Well, Annabeth had to hand it to her, at least her insults were better than Percy's.

Steam whistled out of the metal nose of the bull she'd stabbed moments earlier as it turned its head towards her and she released her spear. Unfortunately the spear did nothing to hinder the bull, deflecting off its metal hide.

"Of course," Andy grumbled to herself when an arrow shot past her, lodging in its eye socket.

The Colchis Bull roared in anger and pain, turning towards the daughter of Venus, the lack of one seeming not to have done too much damage to its ability to attack. Andy could see the second one going for Clarisse, but Andy didn't have time to worry about that as Carmella singed her hair ducking under the fire that was shot towards her.

"Got a plan, Chase?" Andy asked as Harry fired an arrow against its head, diverting its attention from Carmella towards him. He paled and vanished into the shadows, confusing the bull briefly.

"Maybe," Annabeth said. "You know the saying 'cut the head off the snake'?"

"Yeah," Andy said, "your idea wouldn't happen to involve cutting the head off a metal bull, would it?"

"I don't know  _how_  you could guess that," Annabeth said, flinging herself to the ground to avoid the bull and its fiery breath, her sarcasm was nearly palpable.

"I'll let you know you it goes!" Andy yelled back as she raced forward with a fearlessness that might be considered recklessness, swinging Harpe like a bat as she jumped, slicing through the metal that made up the bull's neck with a bit of difficulty her sword sticking before it managed to make it all the way through, sending the head flying and the body crumpling as Andy rolled in the grass, landing oddly on her shoulder.

She sat up and Carmella gave her an exasperated look as Harry ran forward clutching his bow (his shadow travel must've only dumped him a short ways away).

"Well," Andy said, blinking a few times, "that went well."

Carmella barked out something rather unsavory in Italian that had Andy sniggering, but her amusement was cut short at a voice close to Half-blood Hill.

"Can't –get– through—!"

Andy tilted her head back to look at the owner of the voice, surprised to see one of her father's cyclops offspring, even if it was Tyson who had been going to school with Percy for the past year.

"When did he get here?" she asked.

Both archers shrugged helplessly as Annabeth's voice pierced the air.

"I, Annabeth Chase, give you permission to enter camp!"

The ground trembled underneath their feet and Tyson raced over the land towards Percy, shielding him from a fiery blast that would have incinerated him instantly, had he not done so.

Andy could heard her brother yell the cyclops' name barely over the Colchis Bull's roar of flames, but when they had finally abated she could see that Tyson bore no mark from the fire. This came has no surprise to her, cyclopes, after all, were well-known for being able to withstand great heats.

"BAD COW!" Tyson yelled as he punched cow right in the face with his large fists, sending it reeling backwards as the others stared. Tyson's fists had made a number of dents in the bull's metal body.

"Wow," Harry said, wincing slightly as Tyson's fisted hands connected with the bull again. "Tyson's really strong."

"I'm sure that's in the genes," Carmella replied, her eyes fastened on the rather one-sided duel as Clarisse roared with anger once the bull's movements stilled.

"Damn you, Jackson!" she snarled. "You –ruin– everything!"

"How is this my fault?" Percy demanded. "Andy took out a bull too!"

"I had it completely under control!" the daughter of Ares snapped. "I had a handle on my bull and she had hers and then you come in with your great big, fat—!"

Andy sniggered as Clarisse yelled at her brother who in turn gave her a rather fierce look in reply.

* * *

Tantalus was by far the worst replacement for Chiron (there shouldn't have even been a replacement!), at least that as Annabeth's opinion, Percy had yet to meet Chiron's replacement, but he made himself as scarce as possible, figuring he would just head back to the Poseidon Cabin when he caught sight of a flash of white and blue that could have only been one person.

Andy was sitting on the edge of the dock, swinging her legs like a child as she stared out into the clam surf.

Without preamble, Percy walked over to plunk himself down on the empty spot next to her. "Hey."

"'Lo," Andy said, glancing at him briefly, "still worried about Grover?"

Her mention of the dream he had concerning his friend brought him up short briefly.

"A bit," Percy said, "what about you? Aren't you worried about Callie and Marlene?"

Andy released a short laugh. "Nah, they'd have my head probably if they found out I was worried about them."

Percy gave her a curious look. "Why's that?"

"Well, it's a simple job, escorting demigods to camp," Andy said with a shrug of her shoulders, "and Lene and Callie are very good with the sword."

Percy almost opened his mouth to ask didn't she get kidnapped on an escort mission, but even he knew better than to rub salt into that wound.

"Alright, what's bothering you?" Andy said with a sigh.

"There's nothing bothering me," Percy said.

His sister turned to give him her full attention now, her startling eyes focusing on him. "Your eyebrows scrunch together like that when something's bothering you," Andy said, arching a pale eyebrow.

"I'm just…" Percy floundered briefly. "Jealous."

"Jealous?" Andy repeated, a bit bemused. "What for?"

Percy expelled a loud sigh, swinging his legs under the dock like she was doing. "It's just…your friends know you better than I do, and you talk about them all the time, and you're going to be going to boarding school in September…"

Her eyes softened and she looked out to the water once more.

"Percy," she said, "how many people do you think I completely trust in this world?"

He contemplated her for a moment. "Not a lot?" he supposed and she laughed.

"Well, you're not wrong," she said, "but you're on the very short list."

Percy blinked at that bit of information. "Really?" he asked.

"Would I lie?" She was grinning, clearly knowing the answer to her question.

"Yes," he sniggered.

Andy sighed, her eyes watching the water ripple as pushed forward and pulled back calmly. "Percy, do you know why I come here?"

He arched an eyebrow in confusion. "Because you're a demigod?" he asked in befuddlement. "And this is the only safe place for us?"

"I don't belong here," Andy disagreed, "this is your home, but I come here because you're here and…" Her lips thinned into a line.

"Don't be ridiculous," Percy scoffed. "Of course you belong here! You're my sister!"

Andy gave him a look that said "If only that were true" but Percy knew it was, he knew she was his sister, and he didn't need a DNA test to prove it.

She flopped onto her back, looking skyward now, her legs still swinging back and forth under the dock.

"Andy…do you ever wish that none of that –stuff ever happened to you?" Percy asked quietly.

"Wishing it didn't happen doesn't change the fact that it did," Andy said with a sigh, "you know what they say, it's our experiences that make us what we are."

"I've never heard that one." Percy glanced back and down towards her and this time Andy released a short laugh.

"It's something Lupa likes to say, and she's the epitome of being tough to please," Andy explained.

Percy remembered the woman with hands like claws and teeth like fangs and thick grey hair that fell on either side of distinctly wolf-like eyes.

"I can imagine," he muttered.

"She's got a bit of a vulgar personality," Andy had to admit.

"No kidding."

A snort escaped her lips at that comment, opening her mouth to say something when a sudden call of her name had her stopping to look back as one of the Hecate kids jogged up to the dock which creaked under her feet.

"Sorry it took a little longer," Lou Ellen said as she held out the carved rowan wand, "I probably would've had it done, but…bulls are very distracting."

"I gathered," Andy said with a smirk, "but thanks for fixing it."

"Yeah," Lou winked, "you might actually have a case now."

Percy looked over the wand held in his sister's hands. It looked very different from the one he'd seen her waving around, and Carmella's, so they must have been each unique…kind of like snowflakes.

"There's a case either way," Andy scoffed, rolling her eyes. "See you at dinner."

"See you," Lou said, winking at Andy's brother, "Percy."

"Lou," Percy replied as the daughter of Hecate disappeared. "She's a bit…odd."

"She's mysterious," Andy countered, "believe me, you haven't seen odd."

Her brother could find nothing to say to that so they settled into another silence.

"His name is Nico," she said abruptly.

"What?" Percy said in confusion.

"The boy whose been taking up my attention," Andy said with a smirk, "his name is Nico."

"Well, that's…certainly Italian."

Andy released a short laugh. "He's very rusty on his Italian…" She bit on her lip slightly, drawing one of her knees up to her chest and leaning her cheek against her leg. "I don't talk much about myself," she said suddenly, "it's not you, it's just…"

And in that instant, Percy was certain he knew his sister better than anyone else, including Carmella, Marlene, Callie, including Rachel the witch, including Nico the Italian. He stretched an arm over her shoulders, squeezing the opposite shoulder as she leaned her head against his, comforted simply by her brother's presence.

* * *

Andy knew well the tale of Tantalus, but she wasn't sure what made him qualified to be in charge of demigods, and this was made more evident to her as she and Percy entered the pavilion with Tyson.

It couldn't have been made clearer that no one was happy about the Cyclops being present. Andy didn't understand why they were making such a fuss; some could say that cyclopes had more uses than demigods.

"Well, well, if it isn't Peter Johnson, my millennium is complete," Dionysus drew his words out as they passed the head table and Andy's lips twitched briefly, her eyes landing on the god's before shifting to the man sitting beside him.

He looked like a recently released inmate from a prison, wearing an ugly orange jumpsuit that was worn from evidently centuries of use. His grey hair, messily cut, hung around his sunken face, reminding Andy of the way Sirius had looked when she had visited him in Azkaban.

The look in his eyes was a bit too wild for Andy's taste, and she disliked how he looked at her.

"Percy Jackson…sir," her brother corrected Dionysus beside her with grating impatience.

Dionysus, much like when most corrected him on the correct spelling of their names, waved a hand in a careless manner as he swallowed his Diet Coke. "Yes," he said after gulping it down, "well, as you young people say these days: Whatever."

Andy smirked slightly. She had to hand it to him, his indifference certainly got under a lot of skin.

"This boy you need to watch," Dionysus added towards Tantalus. "Poseidon's child, you know."

"Ah," Tantalus said in a condescending manner, "that one…and the girl?"

Percy tensed beside her.

"The daughter," Dionysus said, carefully avoiding mentioning her Roman lineage –it was far easier to play her off as being Poseidon's, but she never admitted to such–, "I'm sure you've heard of Andromeda the Wolf."

"Quite," Tantalus said, grinning yellowed and chipped teeth at Andy. "You have no idea how many in Tartarus wish for your death."

Andy's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm actually sure I do know, thank you very much," she spoke with a bit of bite.

He smiled, but it was one that wasn't even remotely sweet. "I am Tantalus," he said, "on special assignment here until, well, until my Lord Dionysus decides otherwise. And you, Perseus Jackson, I do expect you to refrain from causing any more trouble."

Green fire flashed in Percy's eyes at those words. "Trouble?" he seethed.

A newspaper appeared in Dionysus' hands with the snap of his fingers, one bearing Percy's picture.

Andy whipped it out of his hands, frowning as her Dyslexia began to act up, making the words difficult to read (if only it was Italian or Latin, that would have certainly made it easier) until she could finally make out the words: Disturbed Thirteen Year Old Torches School.

"Percy…" Andy said slowly, "you blew up a gymnasium?"

There was nothing accusatory in her voice, for which Percy was grateful, just open curiosity.

"Not on purpose," he wheedled, and Andy spared him a small smile.

"Yes, trouble," Tantalus said, drawing their attention back to the former prisoner of Tartarus. "You caused plenty of it last summer, I understand."

Percy opened his mouth furiously at getting blamed for something that wasn't his fault –but really, it came as no surprise, since he was the general scapegoat– but Tantalus didn't seem to be listening and Andy was reading through the article with an intense scowl on her face that she usually got when her Dyslexia made her life difficult (Percy knew the feeling well).

"Root beer. Barq's special stock. 1967," Tantalus said clearly to his goblet which filled itself with his request. Andy arched an eyebrow; he was the one who was cursed to not eat or drink and she was sure that that extended from Tartarus up here in the mortal world.

Dionysus was smirking widely, hidden behind his soda can's rim. "Go on, then, old fellow. Perhaps now it will work."

"That's likely," Andy coughed obviously and Tantalus gave her a venomous glare that she carefully ignored.

But the food and goblet still scampered away from his touch like they had legs.

"Blast!"

"Ah, well," Dionysus said in what he hoped was an understanding tone but was clearly faked. "Perhaps a few more days. Believe me, old chap, working at this camp will be torture enough. I'm sure your old curse will fade eventually."

"Eventually," Tantalus lamented. "Do you have any idea how dry one's throat gets after three thousand years?"

"You're that spirit from the Fields of Punishment," Percy realized, his eyebrows raising. "The one who stands in the lake with the fruit tree hanging over you, but you can't eat or drink."

Tantalus' eyes glittered malevolently, but if there was one thing Andy and Percy were known for, it was barreling in head-first. "A real scholar, aren't you, boy?"

"You must've done something really horrible when you were alive," Percy said, contemplating the man before him. "What was it?"

"He tried to steal ambrosia and nectar from the gods," Andy said, familiar with the mythology. "Revealing their secrets is higher than treason…and then he cooked them a stew made from his children…or was it the other way around?"

She smiled sweetly at Tantalus who saw something much darker behind her shattered eyes as Percy recoiled slightly at the thought of eating something even remotely human.

Andy wasn't about to be scared by a man who hadn't tasted food or drank fluid in so many centuries, so many thousands of years. She had seen what was in the depths of Tartarus and she wasn't afraid of someone who was all bark and no bite, son of Zeus he may have been, but his father had long since renounced him.

And Andy's father had yet to renounce her, so she would take that.

* * *

Andy was fishing around two meatballs on her plate as Harry pressed her about the boarding school she was going to and Percy tried not to look as though he was listening in too much, but it was also a good distraction to keep him from thinking about what they were going to do to Tyson.

"Why's it so far away?" he asked. "Scotland's really far from Britain…how do you even get there?"

"By train, apparently," Andy said. "I believe it's about six hours from King's Cross Station."

Harry grimaced, looking a little green and Percy echoed him in that regard. "I hate train rides. Why not take a boat?"

Andy shrugged, appearing vaguely amused. "Who knows? Maybe too many people would get sea-sick."

"Poor them," Percy said, playing with the crust of his pizza.

His sister gave a light laugh at that, only to be cut short by the sound of conch horn blowing.

"Yes, well," Tantalus began, standing up to be seen and Andy stabbed one of her meatballs harshly, imagining it was him. "Another fine meal! Or so I am told. And here on my first day of authority. I'd like to say what a pleasant form of punishment it is to be here. Over the course of the summer, I hope to torture, er, interact with each and every one of you children. You all look good enough to eat."

Harry glanced nervously to his aunt and uncle. "Is he serious?" he asked.

"No," they said automatically, though it was clear they weren't entirely certain.

"And now some changes," Tantalus added. "We are reinstituting the chariot races!"

"He's  _mental_ ," Andy said, and she could see a similar feeling rippling through the pavilion across each table. "The number of deaths and injuries alone—!"

"Now I know," Tantalus spoke over the murmurs, "that these races were discontinued some years ago due to, ah, technical problems."

" _Technical_  problems?" Percy repeated a bit dubiously.

"Three deaths and twenty-six mutilations," Will Solace from the Apollo table offered.

"Yes, yes!" Tantalus waved a hand, remarkable unconcerned by that information. "But I know that you will all join me in welcoming the return of this camp tradition. Golden laurels will go to the winning charioteers each month. Teams may register in the morning! The first race will be held in three days time. We will release you from most of your regular activities to prepare your chariots and choose your horses. Oh, and did I mention, the victorious team's cabin will have no chores for the month in which they win?"

Now that was something that anyone would be glad to do if it meant no chores, and suddenly the worry practically dissipated. But Andy wasn't planning on participating.

"But, sir!" The interjection by Clarisse caught Andy's attention and she turned her head towards the Ares table where the brunette had half-risen. "What about patrol duty? I mean, if we drop every-thing to ready our chariots—"

"Ah, the hero of the day," Tantalus cried loudly. "Brave Clarisse, who single-handedly bested the bronze bulls!"

Clarisse started at that, her eyes flickering over to where Andy was sitting. "No, it wasn't just—"

"And modest, too! Not to worry, my dear! This is a summer camp. We are here to enjoy our-selves, yes?"

"But the tree—" Clarisse insisted, but Tantalus had already moved on and she was quickly forced back into her seat.

"And now, before we proceed to the campfire and sing-along, one slight housekeeping issue. Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase have seen fit, for some reason, to bring this here." As he said 'this', he gestured towards Tyson who looked decidedly awkward.

"Bastard," Andy said and Percy muttered an agreement.  _What an ass!_

"Now, of course," Tantalus said in an almost mocking tone, "Cyclopes have a reputation for being bloodthirsty monsters with a very small brain capacity. Under normal circumstances, I would release this beast into the woods and have you hunt it down with torches and pointed sticks. But who knows? Perhaps this Cyclops is not as horrible as most of its brethren. Until it proves worthy of destruction, we need a place to keep it! I've thought about the stables, but that will make the horses nervous. Hermes' cabin, possibly?"

The Hermes cabin looked anywhere but at anyone who was looking at them.

"Come now, the monster may be able to do some menial chores. Any suggestions as to where such a beast should be kenneled?"

Andy stood up suddenly, fire coursing in her veins and all eyes fell on her.

"Find somewhere else to room, Tantalus," she said, "we're not taking you."

You could have dropped a pin and it would have been heard, along with the slap to the face that Carmella did to her forehead.

"What?" Tantalus said.

"Oh, I thought we were talking about you…were we not?" Andy asked innocently and there were a few sniggers from the Ares table. "You should have specified a bit more when you said ' _monster'_  because the only monster I see…is  _you_."

Percy hid his laughter behind his fist and there was a rolling "Oooh!" from the other campers, and then the symbol appeared above Tyson's head and he looked up at it in blatant surprise.

It was a symbol Andy was quite familiar with and one she had been expecting to show up. It was a trident that glowed green.


	16. A Murder of Stymphalions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha! So many you must've been waiting for this update for awhile, but I've been totally obsessed with Looking Beyond for awhile, which should come as no surprise, given how it's my most popular fic.  
> I hope to finish this fic this year and start on its sequel, Claimed By Death, but the chances of that happening anytime soon are a bit slim since I'm going to be in a minimester for the next month, but here's to hoping.  
> For the title, its usually a 'murder of crows' but there isn't really a grouping for mythical birds, so I just went with it.

_Queen Andromeda was furious as her husband dragged her forcibly through their palace, his face closed off, telling of just how angry he was with her, but the daughter of Cepheus was beyond the point of caring._

_It wasn't as though Andromeda hadn't participated in wars before. When her parents castle in Ethiopia had been under siege she had joined the archers on the wall. And she had fought beside Perseus just the past year in the garb of a male warrior._

_She had proven she was quite a capable archer who could hold her own, yet here he was, dragging her away from the ship as it boarded with soldiers._

_He pulled her into a room with a severe expression on his face. "You aren't coming with us," he told her shortly._

" _Perseus! I am an archer and a warrior, you can't lock me up!" Andromeda snapped, her eyes blazing._

" _I am your husband," he informed her, "and I am trying to keep you safe!"_

" _I don't want to be safe!"_

" _Well, I want you safe," Perseus said harshly, "and if that means I have to lock you in this room in order to do so, I will."_

_Andromeda gaped at him. "You wouldn't dare!"_

" _I would," he said before shutting the door on her._

" _Perseus!" She banged her fists against the door. "Perseus! I am your wife! Release me!"_

_And then she pressed a hand to her mouth, feeling the bile rising, not yet knowing that it was because of the small life growing inside her._

* * *

It was dark out when Andy walked into the café and ordered a cup of hot cider before slumping into a seat with her hellhound lounging at her feet. Camp Half-blood was making her blood boil especially given how everyone had reacted towards Tyson being revealed as her and Percy's brother. Personally, Andy didn't see what the huge issue was; Cyclopes had a great many uses, and definitely more than some demigods (like some prissy daughters of Aphrodite she wouldn't name).

She breathed out slowly wondering why on earth she thought it was a good idea to split her focus between Greek and Roman camps.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" a voice asked her curiously and Andy rolled her eyes at the owner as they sat down in the vacant seat across from her.

"Oh, I am," she said, "or at least they think I am."

"You snuck out," Jason surmised as he plopped down to sit opposite her. There was no surprise in his voice. "And you just decided to pop across the country with your hellhound for a cup of coffee?"

Andy scrunched her face up at the thought of consuming coffee. "Don't be stupid, I hate coffee."

"Is it tea, then?" Jason scrutinized the contents of her steaming paper cup. "Oh, I know it's tea, you British person."

Andy kicked him harshly under the table. "It's hot cider, you cocky son of Jupiter."

"I was close."

"You were  _not,"_  Andy disagreed with a laugh.

"It was something hot," Jason said evasively. "So, why're you really here?"

Andy sipped her drink quietly for a moment. "Do you remember when we first met?"

Jason arched an eyebrow. "Two angry six year old trying to stab each other in the spleen with daggers? What's there to forget?"

"I was going for the spine, actually," Andy hummed, "just so we're clear."

" _Sure_ , you were," Jason drawled.

Andy leant down to pat Aeton's head from where he was snoozing at her feet. Aeton sighed loudly through his nose.

"Are you alright, Andy?" he asked so suddenly that Andy coughed on her cider.

"Yeah, fine, why?" She asked, clearing her throat as she brushed a lock of blue out of her face.

"Because you're here and not with your family and you're reminiscing about a past we barely remember?" Jason offered. "So, what's going on?"

Andy said nothing, sipping her cider once more before standing and giving him a rather significant look as she walked out and Jason's eyebrow couldn't help but twitch as he followed after.

"Something you can't talk about in front of people?" he guessed as they walked along the Tiber River.

"One of my friends is betraying me to Saturn and I don't know who," Andy told him in a low voice and Jason stumbled, losing his footing briefly.

"You're serious?" he said aghast. A number of Camp Jupiter had gone to the dark side so to speak, siding with Saturn over the gods. It was a good number of soldiers they'd lost, but the campers still outnumbered them, but those numbers might change sooner rather than later. "But…you all are so tight with each other."

"Making it harder to tell which of us is the bad apple," Andy said with a scowl. "It can't be Carmella, because Asteria gave her that information, so that leaves it between Marlene and Callie."

Her shoulders fell. "I couldn't tell Ethan was bad before he had Hecate House burned down, how can I tell if my one of my friends is playing for the other team?"

"Um…have you seen them recently?" Jason asked curiously.

"No," she sighed, "both of them are escorting a demigod, it'll be a bit before I see them, that's why I need your help."

"With sorting out which one's telling the truth?" Jason asked flummoxed. "You know I'm not good at that."

A smirk lit her lips briefly before they thinned into a line. "You're one of the demigods that Praetor has searching for leaks of Intel from our side to Saturn's, aren't you?"

"Yes," Jason said.

"Can you just..." Andy bit the inside of her cheek. "Can you keep an ear out for anything?"

Jason couldn't remember when Andy had ever asked help from anyone. She could've asked her friends before, he supposed, but he was a different matter entirely.

"Sure," he said and she smiled in relief.

"Thanks," she said, "I don't know who else to trust."

Well, as the saying went, you couldn't fall into Tartarus with someone and not get some kind of trust out of it.

* * *

Andy's day started off to sour start and she relieved some pent up irritation by kicking Drew Tanaka off their cabin's deck after she came to ask for some eyeliner for her eye ("Sorry,  _eyes_ "). The amount of ridicule they were getting for being related to Tyson was hilarious when one considered how many bastards their other godly parents had created.

"Hey! Let's all pretend like you don't all have Cyclops siblings that you don't know about!" Andy snarled, her voice echoing in camp.

"Aphrodite never had any Cyclops children," Drew simpered, clearly having regained face after her humiliation that morning. "We're all perfect."

"Then  _you're_  clearly the screw-up," Andy snapped and a collective  _'Oooh!'_  followed her words as she stomped off in the direction of the docks to plop down beside Annabeth and Percy as they planned out their chariot for the upcoming chariot race that Andy wouldn't be participating in; she was all for Capture the Flag and War Games, but horse-drawn chariots were something else entirely.

"Just ignore them," Annabeth advised. "It isn't your fault you've got a monster for a brother."

"He's not our brother," Percy snapped, "and he's not a monster either."

An irritated frown marred Andy's face at their words, trying to decide who she was more ire-inducing, but in the end it didn't matter because the two descended into an argument quite abruptly.

"I am awed by your ability to talk to girls," Andy snorted as Annabeth stalked off in a huff.

"You heard her! She was calling Tyson a monster!"

"And you're saying that he's not our brother," Andy mentioned with an arched eyebrow.

"He's not!" Percy refuted, only to quell under his sister's glare.

"Our father is his father," she told him, unamused. "If that doesn't make him our brother, I don't know what will."

The dock shook under two pairs of feet as Carmella and Harry joined them with their faces glistening with sweat and their bows and arrows slung over their shoulders.

"How was your date with Jason last night?" Carmella asked as she took a swig from her water bottle.

Andy spluttered incoherently as Harry stared and Percy gaped at her.

"You went on a date?" he demanded.

"It wasn't a date!" Andy denied, the heat rising in her face at the insinuation. "You know he's not my type, anyways."

"He was totally your type in Ancient Greece," Carmella sang with a smirk.

"Oh, please!" Andy rolled her eyes. "I wasn't even planning on seeing him, I just wanted a nice cup of hot cider…the fact that he was there and we talked  _hardly_  matters."

Percy and Harry looked as though they wanted to be as far as possible from this conversation, but they opted not to leave, merely studiously avoiding the girls' gazes.

"Oh?" Carmella asked, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. "And what did you talk about?"

"Oh, you know," Andy said in a careless manner, "all the times I've tried to kill him—"

That drew Percy up short.

"Whoa!" he said, interrupting them suddenly. "This is the same Jason you fell into Tartarus, right?"

"Well, it's not exactly a common name," Andy retorted.

"Why were you trying to kill him?"

"Why  _wouldn't_  I try to kill him?" Andy replied sardonically. "We  _are_ rivals and it's not like any of the injuries we gave each other actually stuck."

"And then you'd be thrown into the infirmary together and you'd throw as many insults at him as you could manage before you were all stitched up," Carmella recalled.

"Did he get in any good hits?" Harry asked curiously.

Andy grinned for good measure.  _"Never!"_  she proclaimed. "But he is very good with the sword…we might be evenly matched now…"

"But you still haven't said what you talked about," Carmella nudged Andy in the side and the white-haired girl gave her a sour expression.

"I needed some information," she said sullenly, "and Jason's going to keep me in the loop if he hears anything."

Violet eyes met shattered green and a silent conversation passed between them that went completely over the boys' heads. Carmella had only passed what Asteria had told her when Andy was in Tartarus the previous day, and the less people that knew the better; there were ears everywhere.

"You must really trust him," Carmella said finally.

Andy considered her for a brief moment. "Yes," she said, "I do."

"Oi, Jackson!" a rough yell was thrown in the direction of the docks and two heads looked up, shortly followed by a third (Carmella's adoption hadn't yet been completed, so she was technically still a 'Romano,' much to her aggravation). "Wanna spar?"

It didn't take much of a guess to see she was talking to Andy; Clarisse and Andy sparred constantly, so constantly that Andy would come home some times during the year complaining of wrenched muscles and then collapsing for hours on end. Clarisse was one tough cookie, as the saying went.

"Oh, sure," Andy said, jumping up and grinning. "Anything to get away from chariot racing stuff!"

Clarisse released a short laugh as Andy grasped Harpe and dodged around her assorted family to Clarisse's side.

"Where's the battlefield this time?" she asked.

"I'm thinking Zeus' Fist," Clarisse grinned widely, and Andy easily replicated it, glad for something to distract herself from the issue at hand.

* * *

The day of the race Percy was agitated and Andy had a feeling that it might've had something to do with a dream he had the previous night concerning Grover, but she didn't ask and he didn't tell. Andy had a lot of her secrets that she didn't tell him, so him keeping his own was never an issue.

"Do we cheer for Uncle Percy or Mella?" Harry asked Andy, standing on his tip-toes to see.

"Whoever you fancy, Tesoro," Andy said with a laugh leaving her lips. The chariot Tyson and Percy had crafted was quite impressive, but Andy had a feeling it was mostly Tyson, since Charles Beckendorf, son of Hephaestus, took him under his wing, teaching him skill in forging. Carmella was the 'man-power' so to speak for the Aphrodite cabin's chariot (Andy was surprised they even made an effort; the daughters of Aphrodite weren't much for putting an effort into something that required hard work), armed with her bow and arrow while Silena Beauregard manned the reins. "I am going to be cheering on Mella, I've got ten denarii riding on her."

"But they don't take denarii here…"

"Nope," Andy agreed, "but Romans do." She gave him a private wink and he grinned.

"Charioteers to your mark!" Tantalus called and those performing in the chariot race scrambled to connect their horses to their chariots.

Birds squawked in the trees, making more noise than usual and Andy glanced towards them, narrowing her eyes slightly before disregarding them as the chariot race began with a bang.

The chariots shot forward with a burst of speed.

Carmella already had notched an arrow and was aiming out of the side of her chariot, bracing herself carefully against it before releasing it to connect with one of the Apollo cabin's spinning wheels. The hit itself did no damage, but luckily it was one of the sonic arrows she'd traded Lee Fletcher for a few months back and it gave a resounding boom that caused the chariot to flip over.

Lee Fletcher –who looked to be regretting ever trading those arrows to Carmella for a few perfume bombs that temporarily blinded monsters– and Michael Yew jumped while they still could, but the chariot didn't exactly stop there.

Carmella's chariot surged past, but the Apollo cabin's horses had become panicked and were still dragging the chariot along until they crashed into the Hermes cabin's chariot, the Stoll brothers releasing cries of defeat as they pulled themselves from the wreckage.

That left Athena at the front, Poseidon in second, Ares and Hephaestus close together for third. Demeter was skewed by Dionysus who were quickly demolished by Carmella's arrows, pulling Aphrodite up to forth, an impressive feat by itself as Andy hollered from the sidelines.

"Go, Mella!" she cheered, jumping up and down.

"C'mon, Uncle Percy!" Harry yelled just as enthusiastically.

Percy and Tyson weren't doing too bad either as Hephaestus came nearly beside them, shooting balls and chains towards them in an effort to blow out their wheels, but Tyson intervened with his javelin and sent their chariot jolting backwards unevenly into Ares who made short work of them.

Now Aphrodite and Ares were toe to toe for third behind Poseidon who was falling just short of Athena.

They all made the first turn, just barely for Poseidon that might've had to do with the weight of Tyson they were carrying.

The birds had taken flight now and were circling above them ominously.

"Are they supposed to do that?" Harry asked her, following her gaze upwards as well.

Andy opened her mouth to say that she wasn't entirely sure when the birds dropped downwards suddenly to attack the chariot race spectators, some moving onto the charioteers who presented more of a challenge as a moving target.

Screams filled the air as Andy pushed Harry down, sacrificing her arm to be pecked and scratched at.

"What are they?" Harry yelled over the general noise, notching an arrow in his bowstring.

"Stymphalian Birds!" Andy said, pulling her sword free, hacking at any that got close with her bloodied arm while Harry released an arrow that nicked one of the many birds' wings, sending it spiraling downward.

Normally he would've been excited about hitting one of his targets, but they were a little too busy for him to bring attention to his success.

"Harry,  _duck!"_

Harry complied and Andy swung her sword like a bat, easily slicing through one of birds that had dived down with bronze talons outstretched.

"Thanks," he said.

"No problem," she said shortly before grunting in exasperation as she pulled her wand free at long last.

" _Incendio!"_

Five birds squawked as they caught aflame and flapped their wings helplessly as their feathers burned and smoked.

A second later it didn't really matter because Percy and Annabeth, who had abandoned their chariots shortly before to rush to the Big House and bring out a boom-box with Chiron's favorite CDs and play the music as loudly as they possibly could.

The music was enough to cause the birds to soar upwards instead of attacking the demigods. They flew in circles and zigzags and kept crashing into one another repeatedly before a shower of arrows from the Apollo cabin sent more than half of them to the ground with the first volley alone.

The second one made rather short work of them.

Andy chanced a look at her arm and grimaced. It looked a lot worse than it felt, that was for sure, but it would probably be better to let Carmella look at it first.

Clapping brought her attention towards Tantalus (who had probably been hiding under his seat on the stands like the coward he was) who was looking to Clarisse, whose chariot had crossed the finish line in the midst of the chaos before she'd hopped out to assist. "Bravo! We have our first winner!"

Clarisse was still stunned when he awarded her the golden laurels, clearly wondering if he'd just missed the whole scene with the birds, and Andy knew she wasn't the only one wondering that.

"And now," he said, turning towards Percy and Annabeth who were looking a bit miffed at having their efforts disregarded, "to punish the troublemakers who disrupted this race."

Talk about blatant discrimination.

* * *

"How is she?" Percy asked, glancing back from washing dishes in pure lava beside Tyson and Annabeth (it didn't really bother Tyson, being a Cyclops, but Annabeth and Percy were only demigods). Carmella and Andy were sitting at an empty table as Carmella attempted to heal the daughter of Neptune's wound (they had sent Harry out to be with the other campers and to enjoy himself).

"I'm  _fine,"_  Andy said shortly as Carmella pressed her slightly glowing hands on her arm, sending a flare of pain down her arm. "You know I could've just jumped into the lake and healed it right up," Andy mentioned to Carmella, whose forehead was creased in concentration.

"Maybe, but you came to me first, so that's your loss," Carmella replied without even blinking before turning towards Annabeth. "Do you really think Grover found it?"

They had been speaking of Percy's dream about Grover which was safe to say, more than a dream.

"Maybe," Annabeth contemplated, "but if he really has found it and we could retrieve it—"

"Hold on," Percy interjected, "what exactly is this thing that Grover's found?"

"Percy, what do you get when you add nature magic to an ancient mythical item?" Carmella asked dryly.

Percy thought hard for a long moment. Most of the mythical items he knew about were enchanted pieces of armor or swords, but Andy had practically forced ancient myths on him over the year. "There was…the Golden Fleece?" he asked.

Andy snapped her fingers. "Right in one."

"But how—?"

"Percy, remember the Gray Sisters?" Annabeth asked, wiping another plate clean. "They said they knew the location of the thing you seek. And they mentioned Jason. Three thousand years ago, they told him how to find the Golden Fleece. You do know the story of Jason and the Argonauts?"

"Yeah, the old movie with the clay skeletons," Percy said with a grin.

Annabeth released a groan. "Oh my gods, Percy! You are so hopeless. "

"Only some days," Andy offered helpfully.

"Thanks, sis," Percy said dryly and she grinned.

"In the real story of the Fleece," Annabeth said, ignoring the sibling antics between the two, "there were these two children of Zeus, Cadmus and Europa, okay? They were about to get offered up as human sacrifices, when they prayed to Zeus to save them. So Zeus sent this magical flying ram with golden wool, which picked them up in Greece and carried them all the way to Colchis in Asia Minor. Well, actually it carried Cadmus. Europa fell off and died along the way, but that's not important. "

"It was probably important to her," Percy pointed out, but Annabeth ignored that, making Andy and Carmella snigger under their breath.

"The point is," Annabeth spoke over him, "when Cadmus got to Colchis, he sacrificed the golden ram to the gods and hung the Fleece in a tree in the middle of the kingdom. The Fleece brought prosperity to the land. Animals stopped getting sick. Plants grew bet-ter. Farmers had bumper crops. Plagues never visited. That's why Jason wanted the Fleece. It can revitalize any land where it's placed. It cures sickness, strengthens nature, cleans up pollution—"

"It could cure Thalia," Andy agreed.

"Yes," Annabeth said, glancing out into the night in the direction of the great pine. "And it would totally strengthen the borders of Camp Half-Blood. But the Fleece has been missing for centuries. Tons of heroes have searched for it with no luck. "

"But Grover found it," Percy surmised. "He went looking for Pan and he found the Fleece instead because they both radiate nature magic. It makes sense, Annabeth. We can rescue him and save the camp at the same time. It's perfect!"

"I doubt it," Carmella snorted.

"I'm with Carmella on this one," Annabeth agreed, nodding towards the daughter of Venus. "Kronos manipulated our quest last time, what's stopping him from interfering again?"

"Nothing," Andy offered.

"But what choice do we have?" Percy demanded. "We can't leave Grover on his own, he needs our help!"

"You can't rush in without a plan either, that hardly ends well," Andy countered, "battles are better fought when you know what you're getting into." She had learned this the hard way several times now.

"Like Polyphemus," Carmella added, glancing towards Tyson, but the Cyclops seemed to be in his own world. "In the Sea of Monsters."

"And where exactly is this Sea of Monsters?"

Annabeth grimaced and Andy had a feeling it had more to do with the subject than her brother, as irksome as he might be. "Well…no one really knows. It's the sea that all heroes sail through on their adventures. It used to be in the Mediterranean, but like everything else, it shifts locations as the West's center of power shifts."

"So where is it now?" Percy pressed. "You can't hide a whole sea full of monsters, even mortals would have to know something strange is going on."

"Of course they notice," Annabeth scoffed. "They don't understand, but they know something is strange about that part of the ocean. The Sea of Monsters is off the east coast of the U. S. Now, just northeast of Florida. The mortals even have a name for it. "

" _The Bermuda Triangle!"_  Carmella in surprise. "I can't  _believe_  we never thought of that."

"That's the way the magic works," Annabeth conceded. "What happens in the Triangle would never really catch your attention as being related to monsters unless you looked hard enough."

"You're forgetting two very important details," Andy reminded, drawing them back to the present as she held up a finger for each point, "one, the Sea of Monsters is huge and even a child of the sea god would have trouble, and two, Tantalus is never going to approve a quest, especially one requested by you."

"We'll make him see!" Percy insisted and Andy suppressed a sigh.

That was never going to work.


	17. CSS Birmingham

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Quest for the Golden Fleece has begun!

The traitor's face was hidden, but their eyes still gleamed in the darkness. "She's recovered well from Tartarus, my Lord."

"It matters not," the voice echoed, cold and hard in the forest that the traitor currently resided in, a good distance from where her companions were slumbering and far from any Dryads attempting to listen in. "I had expected this."

Golden eyes were all that Kronos could manage outside of Tartarus at his current power level.

"Tell me of Tethys," he demanded instead.

"The Titaness was reluctant to assist," his spy said, her voice quiet, "however, she fears you more than she fears Zeus…she has agreed to your terms."

"Excellent," Kronos purred.

Soon Neptune's child would no longer pose a threat to his plans.

* * *

It was starting to get dark out, but that was the best time to practice, after all, if you couldn't hit something in semidarkness, what good were you?

The bow was an unfamiliar weight in Andy's hands. The one she'd used in Tartarus had been crafted for her and as such didn't imbalance her, but that one had broken and Andy hadn't been all that impressive at using the bow to begin with.

That was more her first incarnation's gift; why Apollo and Artemis had even bothered during her time as an immortal was beyond her. They might have considered it a personal insult how abysmal her archery skills were.

She notched an arrow and scowled off into Long Island Sound where she'd set up a target bobbing precariously on a piece of melting ice.

"Something wrong with the archery arena?" Carmella's voice came from behind her and Andy started slightly, releasing the arrow prematurely. It flew a few feet before being stalled by the water.

Andy turned to look to the violet-eyed demigod before turning back around. "The arena's not very private, but the dock is usually empty."

She straightened and notched another arrow, taking up her aim and firing. This arrow managed to hit the target, landing in the second-most outer ring.

Andy muttered something under her breath that sounded a bit like an insult aimed at herself. "I used to be good at this."

Carmella burst into giggles and Andy's cheeks flushed slightly with color. "Better," she amended, "I used to be  _better."_

"Did you see Percy pass you?" the daughter of Venus asked her, her eyes wincing in the light of the sunset.

"No," Andy admitted, "but he did leave the campfire before me, so he didn't really need to pass me."

Carmella hummed in agreement and Andy moved to sit down on the edge of the dock, her feet skimming the water's surface. A moment later Carmella joined her.

"Are you annoyed about Tantalus?" she asked.

"Tantalus is an annoyance," Andy admitted, "but he's not really worth it…hopefully Chiron will be reinstated and things will go back to normal."

The tawny-haired girl leaned her head on her friend's shoulder. "What if it doesn't?"

Andy chewed on the inside of her mouth for a short few moments in the silence that followed her question.

"I don't know," she said. "Without the Golden Fleece Thalia will die, but without a child of the Sea God, Clarisse won't be able to even find the island it's located on."

After the initial realization that the Golden Fleece could help Thalia's Pine, Percy and Annabeth had taken the news to Tantalus, but he didn't care very much for the information, something that incensed Andy – _that was her cousin's tree!_

Instead, the quest had been given to Clarisse (why Tantalus was so fixated on her, Andy couldn't be sure), who had accepted it after a moment of being stunned.

Andy scowled darkly so Carmella opted to change the subject.

"Have Marlene and Callie called you back yet?" she asked instead. The two girls had promised to call when they were on their way back to the camp, but the last call that Andy had gotten was when they'd just about found the demigod in question, and no calls had followed.

"No," Andy said with a bit anxiety in her voice that Carmella could only pick out because of how well she knew the girl. She pulled the enchanted phone out of her pocket, pressing the center button, but it showed no new messages. "I have a bad feeling."

Carmella did too. She remembered very well the warning that Asteria had given her which she had in turn passed on to Andy.

_"I would be careful with your friends, little demigod, because one of them is a traitor, and I leave it up to you to discover which one."_

Footsteps on the wood of the dock jarred both out of their thoughts and they turned to stare at the newcomer.

Clarisse was wearing a vexed expression on her face with disdain clear in her eyes and Andy quickly went over in her head what she'd done in the past day to earn a look, but she couldn't quite come up with anything.

"I need a child of Poseidon," Clarisse blurted out to Andy who blinked.

"I'm sure you do," she said dryly, but she turned her back to her to look out into the fading sunlight.

She missed how Clarisse gritted her teeth together with aggravation, but Carmella did not.

"I need your help, Andy," she said, the words just barely discernible through her gnashed together teeth.  _"Please."_

Andy smirked widely. It wasn't just anything that could get Clarisse La Rue to say please.

"Did the whole Ares cabin refuse to join you on the quest?" Carmella asked in blatant surprise, which she probably shouldn't have, given how Clarisse was more likely to fly completely off the handle than on a straight course.

True to that thought, Clarisse gave the violet-eyed girl a glare.

"So you've still got a spot open, then?" Carmella asked, shouldering her bow with a grin, easily skating over the glare still aimed at her.

That gained her a look from Andy.

"I thought you were going to stick around for Callie and Marlene?" she prodded her, arching an eyebrow with curiosity.

"Yeah, but they'll probably be here by the time we get back," Carmella said with a shrug. "Besides…Tartarus and the Sea of Monsters in the same year? Someone's got to keep an eye on you this time."

"I don't need a minder," Andy said a bit petulantly.

"We'll meet you at Half-Blood Hill," Carmella continued cheerfully, speaking to Clarisse over the sound of Andy's grumbling.

* * *

It wasn't every day that Percy found himself to be in the presence of gods (unless you counted Mr. D, but most didn't), particularly like ones that appeared the way Hermes, the god of thievery and commerce, did.

Honestly, he would have mistaken him for a mortal by how he appeared and seemed to the naked eye.

With his own father it was easy to tell that he was godly, even with the fishing outfit he usually wore in his presence, but there was always something behind his eyes, something that made him distinctly inhuman.

But Hermes was very different and it was hard to compare to his son Luke.

" _There are many things I would do for my family," Hermes had told him seriously. "Just as your father has done for yours."_

Percy wondered just what he'd meant about that, but he didn't have time to consider it much as he, Annabeth, and Tyson raced across the wide expanse of water on the backs of Poseidon's gift; three Hippocampi.

The Hippocampi moved at ridiculous speeds and the wind hit Percy's face so much that he swore he was suffering from whiplash (which was entirely possible), but he was also grateful for their speed when he chanced a glance back to see the Harpies that had just missed catching them.

He shuddered at the thought of what would've happened if they had caught them –probably have eaten them, given how warnings were always posted about breaking rules or being in a cabin without informing Mr. D that they were staying at camp.

But then the shoreline and the camp fell away entirely, disappearing in the vastness of the blue that was the sea.

Tantalus and Mr. D were not going to be pleased when they found out the three of them had gone missing in the night.

Percy wondered if Andy would be able to help in that department before quickly vetoing the thought, remembering how well she'd gotten on with Tantalus the first time around. It was more likely that she was going to make things worse; it was a Jackson thing, after all.

The Hippocampi gradually slowed as they came upon their destination, their ride to the Sea of Monsters.

The cruise-ship that Hermes had pointed out from the shoreline was much larger now that they were closer and Percy couldn't help but goggle at it.

It was like the kind of cruise that his mother would want to go on only couldn't because it was far too expensive. It was well lit with a good number of decks on top of its huge size.

Percy chanced a glance to the name written on the side and for a few moments he dearly wished he had those glasses Carmella had enchanted to make it easier to read English, but then the letters were decipherable.

It read:  _Princess Andromeda._

Annabeth's eyebrow twitched slightly, looking to the masthead and Percy followed her gaze to see a carved figure there. It was a girl, beautiful and with dark hair cascading down her shoulders. If it had been just that, he could have overlooked it, but the girl's eyes were painted an identical green that he, Andy, and Harry shared, and her face was twisted in fright.

Percy felt like he was swallowing ash.

He knew the story of Perseus and Andromeda, it was hard not to when you and your sister bore the names of the two characters in that story. It was also hard not to when your sister actually was Andromeda reincarnated.

The way Andy told the story was as though it was from memory, which was odd, Carmella had said, since souls that were reborn were first washed in the River Lethe in order to make forget who they were. She had guessed that some feelings, some memories were too strong to be forgotten.

And Andy had always spoken a bit wryly about being sacrificed to the sea monster Cetus, to appease Poseidon (ironically). "There's nothing like your lover finding chained to a rock without any clothes to speak of," she'd snorted. "He was, of course very quick to hand over his cloak once the monster was dead."

But the myth had been one of the few that ended with the hero not dying in a painful way, which was more than could be said for the others.

And Percy had learned about Tragic Heroes in English class, he knew how it went.

He also had a feeling that if Andy saw the cruise-ship's name she would have given a sneer at how it said "Princess" and not "Queen" (because make no mistake, Andromeda had been a queen) and how history never seemed to get it right, and she would have gone positively white at the sight of the carved figure at the mast.

But Percy didn't need to worry about Andy (or not worry about her, which she greatly preferred), he needed to focus on his friends remaining unseen as they entered the cruise-ship as silently as possible.

* * *

"Is the phone still not working?" Callie asked early the next morning when they were barely awake, their charge half-asleep as their satyr carried him easily in his arms.

"No," Marlene frowned, pocketing the item. "It's weird, isn't it? It works almost anywhere…maybe the spell's run out."

But spells didn't work like batteries, no matter what the pair thought of Andy and Carmella's magical skill, and one of the girls hid the phone's battery deep in her pocket, unbeknownst to the other.

"Well, we'll see them when we get back," Callie said, drawing her hair up into a high ponytail.

"I suppose," Marlene agreed.

Weapons were strapped into place on both girls from where they had rested them the previous night, but only one fingered theirs as though ready to stab the other once their back was turned.

They had to bide their time and wait for their orders.

* * *

Andy and Carmella were very surprised by the gift Clarisse's father had given her, mostly because it seemed more of Andy's thing than Clarisse's.

Ares had gifted her with a ship.

It didn't have a high deck that most ships usually had, and the deck was plated with iron with cannons visible on both sides. It was a ship suited for battle, which also explained the zombies lining the deck that only slightly made Andy uneasy.

"What's the matter? Afraid of the dead?"

The question caused Andy to laugh so hysterically that she had to brace her hands against her knees for support. The idea of her being afraid of the dead…well, she certainly hadn't heard that one before. It was especially funny when one considered that her ex-boyfriend was the son of Hades himself.

But it would be best not to mention that.

Carmella rolled her eyes as one of the zombies took their things below deck. "Okay, just one question: why do you have zombies for a crew?"

" _CSS Birmingham_  was a Confederate ironclad that was part of the losing side of the war," Clarisse explained as Andy moved to where the wheel was located, shooing aside the zombie manning it as they pulled away from the shore. And the spirits of the losing side owe a tribute to Ares; that's their curse for being defeated."

Clarisse rested her hands on her hips as she glowered towards Neptune's daughter. "You can steer this thing, right?"

Andy arched an eyebrow at the implication. "Who d'you think you're talking to?" she retorted. "I'm the daughter of the Sea God, Clarisse, steering won't be a problem."

And then she twirled the wheel, changing the direction of the ship just slightly so they were heading in the right direction, taking them towards the Bermuda Triangle instead of down to Cuba.

One of the zombies stood watch behind her, but she couldn't be sure if that was Clarisse's idea or her father's, as Ares had never been all that fond of Andy unless she was causing a bit of chaos (which unfortunately she hadn't been doing much of recently).

The whole day had been a bit of an annoyance, and it had barely begun.

Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson had disappeared in the night, something that Tantalus had expressly forbidden them against, and Andy had to admit she hadn't been expecting such a thing of Percy.

Tantalus had demanded to know why she didn't report him as missing and Andy had dumped her chocolate milk over his head in retaliation informing him rather pointedly that it wasn't any of her business what her brother got up to during the night and she frankly hated Tantalus, so why on earth would she tell him anything?

That hadn't pleased him, but what could he do? It wasn't like people weren't allowed to speak their mind, and even if he wanted to give her kitchen duty like he had to Percy and Annabeth the previous night, it wasn't like she was going to be around to do it, going on the quest and all.

In the end Tantalus expelled Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson (stating a bit rudely that Tyson hardly counted, being a monster and all) and Dionysus said he'd turn them all into squirrels and run them over with his SUV, which was a bit crude in Andy's opinion.

But a better question would be: where on earth did he get an SUV?

To be answered at another time.

"You, c'mere!"

Andy jabbed her finger at the sailor who had been watching her carefully and he jumped to attention. "Ma'am?"

"Man the helm," Andy gave him an order and he looked to Clarisse who gave him a nod and he took the wheel as she moved to the edge of the ship and looked over with a bit of curiosity.

"What is it?" Carmella asked, moving to her side to look as well. "Is there something in the water?"

"No," Andy said as Clarisse moved to join them as well, "but we are moving a bit slow…this ship does have a lot of metal on it…"

"What're you thinking?" Clarrise asked. "It's not like there's a way to speed it up, it's an old ship."

"Yeah, but I'm more worried about Thalia," Andy said with a frown, "the poison must be really potent…we'd have to reach the Sea of Monsters within days."

"We'd never get there that fast," Carmella reminded her.

"We might," Andy disagreed, curling her fingers inwards and outwards, watching how the sea responded to her, "if I speed things up a bit."

She looked to Clarisse.

"Do it," the daughter of Ares nearly barked and Andy smirked, vaulting over the side of the ship. "Should she really have done that in full armor?" she added, looking at the ripples caused by the smaller girl sinking beneath the surface.

"She'll be fine," Carmella said, waving her hand in a careless manner, "it's not the first time she's done it."

Andy swam under the ship, moving her body so that she was sitting on the bottom the ship, upside-down compared to it. She clenched her fist and ice formed around her, effectively gluing her to the ship's underside.

It would be too much to keep herself to the ship and attempt to speed up the ship without the ice keeping her there, because then she'd have to worry about holding herself to the bottom; this way was easier.

Andy breathed out slowly, closing her eyes briefly before opening them and bringing her hands forward and jerking them back behind her, dragging the water with her and causing the ship to surge ahead.

On the deck above, Carmella and Clarisse stumbled.

"Whoa," Clarisse said, blinking a few times as she steadied her feet.

"At least it's not an earthquake," Carmella sighed as she watched the zombie at the helm adjust his grip accordingly to the new speed of the demigod underneath them acting the equivalent to a motor on the heavy ironclad.

* * *

"Are you sure this is as fast as you can go?"

Andy glared at Clarisse from where she'd collapsed a few minutes prior on the deck with her arms feeling very much as though they were jelly rather than limbs.

"You know –what, Clarisse?" Her words came out more with sharp starts and stops as she struggled to regain her breathing, the muscles in her arms aching something fierce. "Why don't –you try and– speed up an –ironclad with–  _your_ water abilities!"

The work itself was possibly the most exhausting thing that Andy had experienced, it that was saying a lot, because she'd almost died several times when she'd trained with Lupa. It was so tiresome moving something as heavy as the ironclad that she had to stop several times in the night, being completely wiped out.

Carmella had tricked her into a few hours of sleep and practically shoved a protein bar down her throat before allowing her to throw herself over the side of the railing.

But on the plus side, they were a lot farther than they had been before, which meant they were a great deal closer to the Sea of Monsters.

On the downside, Andy had had a terrible dream the night before, one about Callie and Marlene that she didn't want to share with Carmella; it was no use in scaring her when she wasn't exactly sure what had happened.

It had been mostly dark and filled with yells and the roar of a monster that Andy couldn't have been able to identify from sound alone (they mostly all sounded the same to her after Tartarus). But she had been able to ascertain a flash of red from blood and a dagger she didn't recognize burying itself into the chest of the satyr that had gone with Callie and Marlene on their retrieval of a demigod.

Andy swallowed thickly, opening her mouth to say something, what exactly, she didn't know, she hadn't thought that far ahead, when they were interrupted by yells and a monster's roar that reminded her too much of her dream and made her face go bloodless.

"What's that?" Carmella demanded, standing and moving to the railing to wince in the sunlight to where three demigods could be seen going toe to toe with a Hydra…correction, that was two demigods and one Cyclops.

"Looks like a family reunion," Clarisse growled stalking off to grab the captain.

"What's she going on about?" Andy asked tiredly, flopping onto her back again from when she'd pulled herself into a sitting position.

"Oh, nothing," Carmella said with an airy tone that fooled no one, least of all, Andy. "Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson seem to be having a bit of a fight with a Hydra, that's all."

Andy goggled at her. "You're serious?"

"There!" Clarisse shouted, directing the captain in their direction. "Prepare the thirty-two-pounder!"

"They're too close, m'lady," the captain disagreed, preparing to give orders to the other zombies that were merely awaiting another order.

Clarisse swore. "Damn the heroes! Full steam ahead!"

"Aye, m'lady!"

The cannons had barely been set before— "Fire at will, Captain!"

" _Fire!"_  the captain roared, swinging an arm down and the zombies released the cannonball.

The resounding boom was so loud that Andy could feel a ringing in her ears once it quieted (Carmella had been the smart one and had covered her ears before the cannonball had gone flying) and she could feel it shake the whole ship when it had been forced out of the cannon, all the way deep inside her, like it was echoing within her.

"You alright?" Carmella asked Andy who just blinked at her and asked "What?" a bit louder than necessary.

The daughter of Venus merely rolled her eyes, waiting for Andy's hearing to go back to normal as the ship pulled closer to the shore.

"Ugh," Andy closed her eyes and groaned, the ringing in her ears dulling slightly only to be replaced with a throbbing in her temples. "I have the worst bloody headache."

"Just, um, stay there for a bit, will you?" Carmella's voice suggested somewhere to her right.

"Losers," Clarisse's voice said in the same general direction. "But I suppose I have to rescue you. Come aboard."

Andy had a feeling that it wasn't going to be a good idea to have Percy and Clarisse on the same ship surrounded by the endless surf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter done! This was basically all I did tonight, feel loved! We are now about halfway through Sea of Monsters, and very close to finding out who the traitor amongst Andy's friends is!


	18. Between Scylla and Charybdis

The first thing Percy saw was Andy sprawled on the deck of the ironclad, her eyes closed as she breathed in and out deeply. He was at her side in an instant, glaring towards Clarisse.

"What did you do?" he demanded.

Clarisse sneered. "Your sister exhausted herself speeding us up; be grateful or you'd probably be dead."

"I'm good," Andy mumbled from the floor. "Let me just sleep this off and I'll be set for life."

Carmella sniggered and Clarisse snorted as the last of Percy's group came on board and Andy winced her eyes open not at all surprised to see Annabeth and Tyson with him.

"Maybe you want to eat dinner first," Carmella prodded her and Andy gave her a small scowl before grasping her hands and using the daughter of Venus' strength to pull herself up, almost keeling over again.

"If I ever volunteer to speed up a heavy ship again, remind me of this day," Andy groaned.

"Will do," Carmella said as they all went inside, heading towards the captain's quarters for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They weren't Andy's favorite, but they were definitely better than nothing.

"You are in  _so_  much trouble," Clarisse said with a superior smirk towards the three newest arrivals. "Tantalus expelled you for eternity. Mr. D said if any of you show your face at camp again, he'll turn you into squirrels and run you over with his SUV."

Annabeth winced, but Percy didn't seem too perturbed whilst Tyson seemed to care more about the room they were in than the conversation.

"Did they give you this ship?" Percy asked, swallowing his Dr. Pepper quickly.

"'Course not," Clarisse replied, her lip curling slightly. "My father did."

"Ares?" Annabeth asked in surprise, especially since ships fell into Poseidon's domain. She would've thought it was a gift for Andy (the ironclad certainly fit her personality).

Clarisse nodded towards Percy. "You think your daddy is the only one with sea power? The spirits on the losing side of every war owe a tribute to Ares. That's their curse for being defeated. I prayed to my father for a naval transport and here it is. These guys will do anything I tell them. Won't you, Captain?"

There was an eager light in her eyes as she leaned back to look towards the ship's captain, the one that had kept a steady eye on Andy since the first day she'd stepped foot on the ship.

Andy did her best to ignore him as she ate silently.

"If it means an end to this infernal war, ma'am, peace at last, we'll do anything. Destroy anyone," the captain said stiffly, inclining his head slightly in an action that could have been mistaken as respect, but Andy very much doubted that it was with the expression it was worn with.

A smile split across her face that wouldn't have looked amiss on Andy's face, Percy had to concede. "Destroy anyone. I like that."

"You would," Carmella muttered before wincing as the older girl's foot connected with her ankle under the table, making Andy snigger.

"Clarisse," Annabeth said, drawing attention away from the two demigod-witches. "Luke might be after the Fleece, too. We saw him. He's got the coordinates and he's heading south. He has a cruise ship full of monsters—"

Andy scowled at the mention of the son of Hermes; she still hadn't forgiven him for nearly killing Percy and throwing her old dagger into her stomach. Annabeth may have been able to overlook his faults, but Andy could not.

"Good! I'll blow him out of the water!" Clarisse cried, eyes darkening at the mention of Camp Half-blood's traitor.

"You don't understand," Annabeth insisted. "We have to combine forces. Let us help you—"

 _"No!"_  Clarisse pounded the table. "This is  _my_  quest, smart girl! Finally _I_  get to be the hero, and you two will not steal my chance. And in case you didn't notice, I've already got quest-mates!"

It was bad luck to have quest with more than three quest-mates, since three was the mythical number.

"And we're infinitely more kickass than you lot," Andy pointed out, sharing a glance with Carmella who bumped her fist.

"But you could've taken your own cabin mates," Percy disagreed. "You only needed Andy because she can do naval positioning—"

Carmella opened her mouth to say something, looking annoyed, but Andy nudged her side.

"They didn't…" Clarisse started weakly before gaining some strength. "I let them stay behind. To protect the camp."

"You mean even the people in your own cabin wouldn't help you?" Percy blurted out, his eyebrows wrinkling together.

"Shut up, Prissy!" She snarled. "I've got who I need already on this quest, I don't need them! Or you!"

It was quickly descending into chaos, so Carmella and Andy leaned back neatly to avoid it before making a silent escape out of the room.

"What's really bothering you?" Carmella asked, hiking her quiver higher on her back as she held the bow loosely in her other hand.

"It's nothing," Andy said quickly, but the resolute stare she received in return told her that the violet-eyed girl didn't believe her for a second. "I just…I had a bad dream last night," she finally admitted.

"About what?" Carmella asked with a bit of concern.

"Marlene and Callie," Andy said, her eyes meeting Carmella's sharing a look of significance.

"Did you see which…?" Carmella didn't quite finish the question, but she didn't really need to.

"No," Andy said hollowly, her green eyes impossibly bright. "It was too dark."

It had been impossible to tell which was the traitor in that lighting.

* * *

Percy ducked out of his room late at night, having been shifting restlessly for the better part of an hour. He rubbed at his eyes as he took the steps up to the deck.

It was easy to see who was manning the helm; Andy's hair was a bright beacon in the darkness.

"I thought you were getting some sleep?" he asked as he loped towards her.

"Oh, I did," Andy assured him, lips twisting upwards into a half-smile. "I kipped in my room for a few hours…I only came out here about fifteen minutes ago. Clarisse had one of her zombie sailors at the wheel, but I feel better when I'm in control, especially since we're the most accurate at naval positioning."

As she spoke, she moved the wheel carefully to the left as they moved through a narrow strait.

"You know…one day you, me, Mella, Harry, and Mom are going to rent a boat," Percy mused, tilting his head back to look at the sky which was clearer than anything Andy had ever seen.

"Just to stargaze? Not fishing?" Andy teased, but Percy looked a bit queasy at the thought of eating fish, mostly because it was hard to eat something that spoke to you reverently when you were under water.

"Don't make me sick," he said and she giggled, actually  _giggled!_

"I'll try not to," she managed to say once the giggles had subsided. "Weren't you getting some sleep, too?" she added, going back to his original query of her.

"I was," Percy admitted, leaning against the railing, "but it wasn't really going well."

"Ah," Andy said in understanding.

"I don't understand why you and Clarisse get on so well," Percy said suddenly and Andy blinked for good measure, turning the wheel slightly to the right.

"You mean since she hates your guts?" she probed.

"Yes," Percy said dryly, " _that."_

"I guess you're just not bloodthirsty enough for her taste," Andy mused with a feral grin that would have unnerved Percy greatly if he hadn't seen it so many times before.

"And you are?" Percy rolled his eyes for good measure.

"Don't you forget it!" Andy smirked, playing with the lupine-shaped hilt of the blade at her waist.

The only times that Percy had really seen her fight or in the forest during Capture The Flag was in the arena, so it made sense how he didn't quite understand her cutthroat nature –as Marlene said. He hadn't seen her with Jason in Tartarus. He hadn't seen her when she'd escaped from captivity and took a tumble off the cliff. He hadn't seen her on any of the quests that the Praetor had assigned her.

Romans were born to be warriors just as Greeks were the true craftsmen of the age.

Andy didn't feel the need to hold back from killing her enemies, and neither did any of her brethren.

She'd seen Callie skewer a lance through someone's neck. She'd seen Marlene's sword pierce skin, muscle, and bone as it ripped through an enemy's chest. She'd seen Carmella release an arrow that went right through someone's forehead.

Andy could play the part of a child, but in all honesty, she couldn't remember being one.

"What's wrong?" Percy's concerned voice broke through her thoughts and she corrected the ship's direction.

"Nothing," she said honestly, "I was just thinking about how different we are, even with the same parents."

The likeness would have been more pronounced, she was sure, if her hair hadn't been permanently shocked white.

Percy's eyebrows rose high on his forehead.

She wasn't wrong, and it kind of hurt. Percy wasn't sure how their lives would have been if Walburga Black hadn't kidnapped his sister from her crib in the dead of the night.

 _Maybe_  her eyes wouldn't look like shattered glass.

 _Maybe_  the name Nox Bacchry wouldn't make her face go bloodless.

 _Maybe_  she wouldn't know her way around the weapon's rack better than kitchen utensils.

Sometimes it's best to take the good with the bad, as his mother always said.

"What's wrong?" she repeated his words back at him and Percy shook his head to clear his mind.

"Do you think things would have been different if we were raised together?" he asked her and the light of the torches reflected off the green orbs eerily.

Andy tilted her head, contemplating him silently.

"I probably wouldn't have so many—" Andy gestured towards the tattooed arm bearing the trident and a dash for each year she'd spent at Camp Jupiter. "I suspect my Latin would be a bit shoddy…oh, I wouldn't have an accent!"

She winked at him and Percy couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I probably wouldn't know Italian…maybe I wouldn't have been elevated to godhood for freezing an entire settlement," Andy added, the last one making her wince slightly. "I probably wouldn't have met Harry, then, since Artemis told me about him…I might not've been as good friends with Callie, Lene, and Mella…"

"Are you going to list off everything that could possibly be different?" Percy asked, slightly exasperated.

"Is that a challenge?" Andy demanded, grinning widely before shrugging. "Nah, I think I'm about done."

"Do you want me to stay up with you?" he added, nodding towards the wheel she was holding in one hand, every so often switching the arm.

Her eyes softened to a warm viridian and she gave him a slight smile. "Don't worry about me, Percy, I'll switch in a few hours with Mella; get some rest, one of us should."

He waved goodnight and headed back below-deck, leaving Andy to her own thoughts.

She had lied to her brother when she said she was going to wake up Mella, mostly because getting any more sleep would probably result in her having another demigod dream, and she wasn't entirely sure her sanity could take it.

Especially if it involved Saturn's voice echoing cruelly inside her head and blood painting across the forest floor.

* * *

The sky was steadily darkening when morning came and Carmella eyed it uncertainly, fingers tightening over her bow.

"I've got a bad feeling," she muttered to Andy who arched an eyebrow in response.

"You mean you  _didn't_  have a bad feeling about going on a quest for the Golden Fleece that would eventually lead towards Scylla and Charybdis?"

Andy earned an elbow to the ribs for her trouble and she sucked in a pained breath at the move, wondering if the golden-haired demigod had bruised her ribs or not.  _"Ow!"_

"That's what you get for your sarcasm," Carmella sniffed, smoothing a hand over one end of her bow in the same manner that someone would buff their nails on their shirt.

The only reason her elbow had done any damage was because Andy had forgone her armor (much like Carmella), given how much of a hindrance it was when she'd been trying to speed the ironclad up, so she was wearing her usual green camouflage jacket (it seemed almost as if the jacket could survive being soaked in a combination of Gorgon's blood and Centaur's blood, at least until Andy had admitted she'd had to replace it a few times).

The Camp Jupiter shirt she wore underneath clashed with the green, but if the others noticed the Roman SPQR on her chest, they didn't comment on it.

The engine rumbled underneath them and Carmella caught Tyson's anxious voice as he played with the end of his shirt. "Too much strain on the pistons. Not meant for deep water."

Carmella grimaced. He wasn't wrong; the ironclad had been creaking since they'd reached the open water. Andy had told her so in the morning once she'd woken up to find the white-haired girl manning the wheel. It made her wonder if the ship was going to pull through and make it into the Sea of Monsters, or if the deep water would prove to be too much.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" she asked Andy as their eyes focused in the distance towards their next trial that was still too far to be seen clearly.

"A little," Andy lied, but Carmella narrowed her eyes suspiciously, not believing it for a second. "I got enough rest before," she amended, "I just didn't feel the need to sleep."

That didn't make Carmella feel any better. Usually when one of them (meaning her, Andy, Lene, and Callie) wasn't sleeping it was because of the dreams that plagued them whilst they slept.

Callie held the record at three nights without sleep and Marlene wasn't too far behind her.

"What is it?" she asked. "Is it still about the thing with Lene and Callie?"

Andy nodded stiffly, running a hand through her wild curls, making the blue strands ripple from the movement. She probably would have left the quest completely, if she was being completely honest, but that was seen as a dishonorable action in Camp Jupiter, and it would have gotten back to them eventually.

"We need to finish this quest," Andy told her, green eyes glinting in the sunlight, "soon."

Carmella couldn't agree more as they came closer and closer to Scylla and Charybdis.

Scylla had once been a beautiful maiden, according to the myths, the daughter of Phorcys (supposedly, but with myths it was a little hard to keep names straight, especially Greek ones), who had been cursed by the sorceress Circe. There was another myth that said it was Amphitrite who had been jealous of Scylla by Poseidon's attention towards her and had then asked Circe to curse her.

Honestly, Andy wouldn't have been that surprised of the Greek side of her father. After all, he hadn't shown much restraint when he'd sired her and her brother.

Charybdis, on the other hand, was Andy and Percy's monstrous sister who had once been a naiad, daughter of Poseidon and Gaea, who increased his kingdom by spreading the large tides over land, and was thus turned into a monster by Zeus.

Both of them seemed like terrible choices, if Andy was completely honest, as she looked towards the high-reaching cliff island and the whirlpool beyond it.

"Hurricane?" Annabeth asked when she saw it.

"No," Clarisse countered. "Charybdis."

Annabeth's face went so white that it neared a shade of gray. "Are you crazy?" she demanded, grey eyes flitting from Clarisse to Andy to Carmella.

Andy gave a shrug and Carmella seemed rather unconcerned with the labeling of being crazy.

"Only way into the Sea of Monsters. Straight between Charybdis and her sister Scylla."

"What do you mean the only way?" Percy demanded, his own eyes wide as he leaned out the side of the ship. If they hadn't been on a quest, Andy would've pushed him out for the hell of it. "The sea is wide open! Just sail around them!"

Andy snorted as Clarisse rolled her eyes for good measure. "It doesn't work that way," Andy said, resting one hand on her hip. "The only way to enter the Sea of Monsters is to go through Scylla and Charybdis."

"What happens if you avoid them?" Percy asked.

"They'll just appear in your path again," Carmella said. "Kind of like how you need a code to enter a locked room (of sorts), only way more dangerous."

"What about the Clashing Rocks?" Annabeth inquired, her brow wrinkling with thought. "That's another gateway. Jason used it."

"I can't blow apart rocks with my cannons," Clarisse countered, her eyes gleaming at the thought. "Monsters, on the other hand ..."

Andy and Carmella shared a glance. They were as much for killing monsters as any other demigod, but the Clashing Rocks had been a far better idea. However, Clarisse had quickly vetoed the idea when they'd suggested.

Reckless endangerment seemed to be what the daughter of Ares was going for, and Andy and Carmella knew for a fact that if they'd had Marlene instead of Clarisse, she would've picked the Clashing Rocks.

"You are crazy," Annabeth cried in exasperation.

"Watch and learn, Wise Girl. Set course for Charybdis!"

"Aye, m'lady," the captain intoned, glowing eerily as he turned the wheel, heading towards the whirlpool and away from the tall cliff.

Percy moved forward to speak with Clarisse but Carmella turned towards Andy as the engine gave another groan beneath them.

"Do you really think the ship's going to last going through Charybdis?" she asked.

"I doubt it," Andy sighed, glancing up as Annabeth came striding over with Tyson looking anxiously towards the engine room.

"You can't agree with this," the daughter of Athena said when she reached their side. "Going through Charybdis is  _suicide."_

"I'm not the one heading the quest," Andy pointed out.

"Scylla would probably be better," Carmella hummed in agreement, "that's the route Odysseus took, isn't it?"

Annabeth bobbed her head slightly. "But the Clashing Rocks—"

"Do you have a bird?" Andy asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Because we don't."

"Though I suppose we could attempt to transfigure one from something else," Carmella mused, "but we barely touched on that in class, we're supposed to work on it more next year."

"Best not," Andy winced, recalling her first transfiguration from a wine glass; it hadn't been close to looking like a cat and was still made of glass.

Andy had never been afraid of water but as they drew closer and closer to Charybdis she found herself starting to get one. She was loud and the whirlpool only seemed to stop swirling around when the water was sucked up and spit back out.

Carmella gripped the railing, her face a little green. "Can't you calm those waves?"

Andy had already tried, but Charybdis' power far surpassed her own. "No, the waves are too…unruly."

"Unruly?" Carmella asked before her eyes widened and she upchucked over the side of the ship.

"You alright?" Andy asked her in concern, as she wiped her mouth on her sleeve.

"Oh, yeah, fine," Carmella moaned, pressing her head against the railing, "just don't ask me to ride in a ship for the next few months."

"Noted," Andy laughed before the ship reeled violently, nearly flinging Carmella over the side, if Andy hadn't wrenched her back by the waist.

"Full reverse!" Andy could hear Clarisse's voice over the roar of Charybdis as the seawater spray hit her across the face. "Get us within firing range! Make ready starboard cannons!"

The other demigods stepped back as the zombies moved to comply to Clarisse's orders.

But going in reverse didn't do anything to stop the ship from making for the whirlpool's center. And to make matters worse, the boiler room was overheating.

"She's going to blow!" cried the sailor that had come to give Clarisse the news, half-aflame and hardly seeming to notice his condition, but, then again, he was already dead.

"Well, get down there and fix it!" Clarisse roared.

"Can't!" he called over the noise. "We're vaporizing in the heat."

Clarisse swore, her fist bruising the railing. "All I need is a few more minutes! Just enough to get in range!"

"We're going in too fast," the captain spoke somberly. "Prepare yourself for death."

"No!" Tyson yelled, startling all those present by the loudness that he had yet to speak in. "I can fix it."

"You?" The dubious expression Clarisse wore was almost insulting.

"He's a Cyclops," Annabeth said, speaking the word 'Cyclops' as if it was a curse. "He's immune to fire. And he knows mechanics."

Clarisse was all for it, and Percy against it, but eventually Tyson made his way down into the boiler room. Andy didn't know her Cyclops brother very well, but she couldn't stop a twinge of worry inside her as his back disappeared within.

The ship reeled violently as the water funneled and Andy chanced a glance towards the monster.

She was essentially a large, circular mouth with rows of sharp jutting teeth that Andy had originally mistaken for sharks, though sharks were among that which was sucked in.

Andy stumbled towards the helm, grabbing it as the captain released it. She twisted it in a circle, but the ship hardly turned.

"Lady Clarisse! Starboard and forward guns are in range!"

 _"Fire!"_  Clarisse's voice rang out, swiftly followed by sharp cracks as the guns fired into the gaping jaw.

It was useless. The guns hardly made a difference and Andy could barely keep the ship straight as Percy attempted to calm the waters, and then all of a sudden it did just that.

But it did not remain that way for long and the water and everything in it.

"DUCK!" Andy yelled and a shark just barely missed taking off Annabeth's head as the ship rumbled from one of the cannonballs indenting into its side. The water forced them away from the center of the maelstrom, but it didn't really send them to safety.

"The engine is about to blow!"

"Again?" Carmella complained, clutching to the railing, her clothes soaked through and plastering her hair to her body.

The wheel was shaking under Andy's hands as she tried to keep the ship a safe distance from Scylla's cliff, but it wasn't going to plan.

"We have to abandon ship," the captain said, despite Clarisse voicing the negative. "We have no choice, m'lady. The hull is already cracking apart! She can't—"

And then Scylla shot down rip him right off the deck.

"Scylla!"

Andy abandoned the helm as her spare bow and quiver half full of arrows came sliding onto the deck. There were about five arrows left, but Carmella still had most of hers, owing to a slight sticking charm on the inside of her quiver.

" _Aim!"_  Carmella barked, and both girls lifted their bows notched with arrows to aim upwards where the monster was perched, more reptilian than any monster Andy had seen yet _. "Fire!"_

Two arrows were shot. One lodged in the fleshy underside of one of Scylla's necks, the other hit the scales oddly and deflected off it. Andy nearly groaned.

Scylla gave an angry roar, lunging down to grab both of them, but the girls scattered, Andy ramming against the railing and Carmella landing by the lifeboats.

"Percy!" Andy screamed as her older brother was ripped from the deck by the straps of his pack.

Her bow was in her hand, ready to fire, if Percy hadn't stabbed Scylla's eye out, forcing her to drop him.

" _ANDY!"_

Carmella's scream jarred her, but it wasn't fast enough as the ship exploded and Andy was surrounded by a burning heat that threw her deep into the water, sinking fast, consciousness fading fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly book plot, but it had to be done to set up for the next chapter, so, oh well


	19. Traitor Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can see that you're all excited to see how this fic is going to end and I'm happy to say that we have, at long last, reached Sting of the Blade's epic conclusion!
> 
> Who is the traitor? Let's find out!
> 
> What will Tethys have to do with the plot? Oh, so much!
> 
> The sequel will be called Claimed By Death and will encompass all that happens in Titan's Curse and Battle of the Labyrinth…and you know what that means? Nico will be returning! Will he and Andy make up? We'll just have to wait and see!

Being held captive on the island that had once been their safe haven was ten out of ten not something Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano would recommend.

All of the attendants to Circe had been locked away in separate spa rooms for the most part, but Reyna and her sister Hylla had managed to stay together.

"What's happening?" Reyna whispered as Hylla rested her ear against the door, listening hard.

"They found a girl on the beach," Hylla hissed back, "they think she's one of ours…they're trying to decide which room to throw her in…I think they're coming this way!"

With startling speed, Hylla threw her from the door in time for one of the pirates to throw an unconscious girl into the room, locking it behind her.

The girl, who couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen, wasn't one that Reyna recognized. In fact, Reyna doubted she had ever seen anyone so odd in her life.

With the olive shade of her skin, dark hair would have been expected, but this girl's was a contrast with pure curls ratty and tangled and streaked with blue (Reyna didn't know if it was natural or a fashion statement, but it seemed a bit much). The cuffs of her camouflage jacket couldn't hide the horizontal marks slashed across the inside of her arm.

The girl didn't even stir as Hylla rolled the cloth of the jacket's arm up a bit in order to see the tattoo she bore.

"She's Roman," Hylla realized, taking note of the wreath and SPQR and the trident, "a daughter of Neptune."

Growing up the way they had, knowing all about Ancient Rome had been a requirement, but as far as either girl knew, children of Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto were forbidden.

"I thought that wasn't allowed," Reyna mentioned, eyebrows drawing together in confusion.

"It isn't—" Hylla started to say when a hand lashed out to grip her shirt and two bodies rolled until Hylla had her back to the floor and the mysterious girl was positioned over her, one hand still bunching her long since crinkled blouse, while the other formed a fist.

It would have been more impressive if she had a knife in her hand, but Hylla suspected that she'd been stripped of her weapons before she'd been thrown into the room with them.

" _Never,"_  the girl said with more than a hint of warning, "touch me when I'm unconscious."

Reyna wondered if she didn't like being touched by strangers to have such an extreme reaction.

"We were just trying to find out who you were," Hylla said with surprising patience for someone being held to the floor with someone much smaller than them.

"A likely story," she snarled. "Who do you work for? Castellan? Saturn?"

"We used to work for Circe," Reyna offered helpfully, "but not anymore."

Her eyes were deeply unnerving when the fastened on Reyna and she strained to not take a step back. They were like shattered green glass.

"Pirates have taken over," she offered helpfully at the question in those same eyes.

"You're prisoners," the girl realized.

"Yes," Hylla said and she released her, standing and extending a hand to help pull her upright. Hylla took it.

"I'm Andy Jackson-Black, daughter of Neptune," she said, only to blink and stare when the two's expressions darkened at her name.

"Jackson?" Reyna demanded. "Like Percy Jackson?"

Andy arched an eyebrow for good measure. "You know my older brother?"

"He's the reason we're in here in the first place!" Hylla burst out angrily. "He and the girl released those Circe had imprisoned! The pirates were especially angry!"

"Was it for being male?" Andy guessed shrewdly. That seemed to be the case with several powerful women in ancient history. She remembered the story about Odysseus meeting Circe and how his men were turned into pigs.

"I –what?"

"Were they imprisoned for being male?" Andy repeated before rolling her eyes. "My brother doesn't have a mean bone in his body, so he probably doesn't have any idea that you are all locked up here."

"And that makes it  _okay?!"_  Hylla spat.

" _Hey!"_  Andy snarled and Reyna found she looked more like a wolf than she would have thought possible. "You're the ones that imprisoned people here for who knows how long! Don't be pissed at _my_ brother for  _your_ own problems!"

It seemed to Reyna that Andy was a very direct person with a deep level of loyalty towards her brother, and that much she could understand quite well, given the relationship between Reyna and Hylla.

"I don't need this," Andy muttered to herself, "I really don't need this…what I need to do is find out what happened to Callie and Marlene."

Those names meant absolutely nothing to Reyna and Hylla.

"How long have you been here?" Andy asked them.

"You mean locked up?" Hylla presumed. "Less than a day."

The white-haired girl patted at the small bag looped into one of her belt loops, and then her arm sank deeply into it, as though there was more space inside than outside, which was frankly ridiculous, but both the daughters of Bellona couldn't help but stare as she removed a small knife to replace it in its almost unseen holster in her combat boot, adding a dagger to the empty strap on her thigh, and a bronze blade with a lupine-shaped hilt at her side.

But before anyone could say anything, the door was thrown open and she was dragged out.

* * *

Andy learned that 'pirates' meant just that, pirates, with frocks, wild hair, and rotting teeth…well, Andy was less than impressed. But, she had to admit she might have romanticized pirates just a bit, being a daughter of the sea and all.

Edward Teach, son of Ares, wasn't a very good interrogator.

"You're not one of the sorceress' lasses, are you?" he asked her once his men dragged her before him.

If Andy was really trying, she might have been able to control the blood rushing through their veins, being composed partly of water, but blood control wasn't something that Andy was even close to being good at, and she didn't like to try her hand at it very much.

"I'm not," Andy responded. "I was ship-wrecked after the ship I was on exploded."

Being blunt seemed to be the way to go, given her current situation.

"An innocent bystander, eh?" the captain surmised. "You're free to go; we only mean to punish those who held us captive like animals…and someone has come for you."

"Someone has come for me?" Andy repeated blankly, staring at him in incomprehension as his men released her even at the sound of footsteps against the tile and then the figure came into view.

Callie's face was covered in bruises and she had scratches on her arms and a thick bandage around her waist at a spot off center and closer to the side…a wound that was very familiar to Andy, though not on Callie.

For a moment Andy forgot about traitors and the chaos that she had experienced just shortly before she'd been swept away by the sea.

" _Callie!"_  she gasped, lurching forward to throw her arms carefully around her friend before retreating when the daughter of Athena winced. "I was afraid something bad had happened! Are you alright?"

"I've had better days," Callie told her with a slight grin, "don't worry about me, I'll heal up sooner or later, its Lene that's the worse off between the two of us."

Concern lit Andy's eyes as Callie began tugging her in the direction that led towards the outside. "Marlene? What happened? I've been having some really terrible dreams…"

"Well, we think that the satyr got the kid back to Camp Half-blood without any trouble, but we lost track of them when we ran into a Hydra," Callie admitted.

"Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson did too," Andy said with a bit of confusion. "More of them keep cropping up."

"I blame Kronos," Callie grunted. "Too many monsters are getting restless…"

"How bad off is Marlene?" Andy asked her.

"I have honestly no idea, dealing with injuries was always more of Mella's forte than mine," Callie said sheepishly. "I was hoping that she was with you."

"No, we were separated," Andy sighed, "she must be with—"

But before Andy could finish her thought, something hard had whacked her in the back of her head and all Andy saw was blackness.

* * *

The ground was rough and cold underneath her hands as she came to, clearly one that had not been smoothed by humans walking over it. The air was moist…and she could smell the salt in the water.

After what seemed like an age, Andy opened her eyes and sat up, wincing as she brought her hand to the back of her head.

"G-good, you-ou're aw-wake."

Andy twisted around to look in the direction of the familiar voice to see Marlene propped up on a nearby rock in the cavern.

Her chest was a bloody mess.

"Oh my  _gods!"_  Andy gasped, crawling to reach her friend's side. "Marlene!  _Nononono!"_

Marlene's smile was bloodstained. "Don't be –melodra-amatic," she gasped.

Her brown eyes were nearly shut and her pooled around her head like the crimson staining her chest.

"Looks wo-orse than it is," Marlene promised her, pointing a trembling hand towards her midsection. "Poison."

"Did Callie do this to you?" Andy demanded horrified.

Marlene gave a jerky nod.

Of course, it made sense, no one could just overpower Marlene, or, at least it would take a bit in order for someone to do so. Callie was nowhere close to the level that Marlene was at in a comparison of strength, but she was easily the cleverest of the four friends. She would have had to know that the easiest way to take Marlene out would be to poison her.

Andy pressed her hands against the wound, trying to keep the blood from continuously flowing, but it was in vain, she knew. She possessed no antidotes to any poisons, all she held were weapons or tools that any demigod would need on a mission.

"You're not," Andy's words caught in her throat but she barreled on, "you're not allowed to die, remember, Lene? We've all got all these plans and—"

"We were all goi-ing to get an apartmen-ent togeth-her once you and Mel-lla were out of schoo-ol and Callie and I we-ere done with high school," Marlene rasped.

"The best roommates in the world," Andy promised, blinking furiously, "once we kicked out Callie."

Marlene gave a harsh laugh and coughed up blood as their former friend returned.

The scythe dangling on the necklace tight around her throat made Andy want to throw herself on her and do something animalistic like rip out her eyeballs or rip through her with her teeth (but that was probably Lupa's influence talking).

" _Traitor!"_  Andy spat with venom as Callie gave a sly smile in return, crossing her arms and looking unfazed by the word. "How could  _you?_  We're your  _friends!"_

"Not really," Callie said sweetly, "I was loyal to Kronos above all others, including yourselves, though I do admit I played my part well, don't you agree? Which one of us did you think was the traitor?"

Andy, though she would never admit it, had been slightly leaning towards Marlene being the traitor, given how violent her nature was and how shut off she could be (though Andy might as well have been describing herself), but being cool and calculating should have been a huge indicator.

" _We trusted you!"_  Andy snarled, speaking for Marlene as well, who could now barely get her words out. "And you betrayed us for  _him!"_

"He is greater than you could ever dream of being!"

"I don't  _want_  to be like him!"

"You are too  _weak,"_  Callie told her, a smirk dancing on her lips, "that's why he chose me to aid him…didn't you ever think it was strange that a daughter of Athena, a Greek goddess, found her way to the Roman camp? That was his plan! I became your friend because it was  _his_ will, but now he had me give up the charade…you both will die here and then Tethys will flood New Rome!"

Madness glittered in her eyes and Marlene's widened in fear while Andy looked to her in terror.

"There are children in New Rome,  _you monster!"_  she yelled. "Families of demigods! You're  _murdering_  them!"

"All in the name of the Time Lord!" Callie proclaimed, lifting her hands as though exalting the titan.

"C-Crazy," Marlene mumbled and her eyes met Andy's before moving to the side and Andy followed them to see the trident that had once been a gift from her father. It was far slender than the one he possessed but Andy would have never been able to hold his with ease, and this one was a weapon forged for a daughter of the sea (Percy had his stowed in his closet, out of sight).

Her other weapons were thrown farther away, especially Harpe, but Andy could reach the edge of the trident, and she was going to dig those sharp prongs into her traitorous former friend if it was the last thing she did in her short life.

She grasped the end and it dragged noisily across the ground before Andy managed to get a good grip on it and rush at Callie.

Callie already knew she was moving, the sound of metal over rock had given that away, but even so, she barely had any time to block Andy's strike, and it nearly sent her crumpling to the ground.

"Were you behind my kidnapping?" Andy demanded, her blood boiling beneath her skin and her eyes blazing Greek fire.

"Only partially," Callie admitted breathlessly but the smirk she was wearing only served to further Andy's anger. "Michael Ferin and Nox Bacchry did most of the work."

Why that  _bastard!_  Andy was seething internally. The praetor at the time had agreed to have her partner at the time killed and have her kidnapped and tortured into insanity! By the gods she would have  _his head!_

Andy gave an angry roar, throwing Callie violently back so that she collided painfully with the ground, but her pain was short and cut off suddenly by three prongs cutting right through her chest.

Vibrant grey eyes faded and the chest stilled as Andy breathed hard.

Percy wouldn't have killed her, but Percy was a better person than Andy, and Andy had lost far too much because of Callie's actions already.

An eye for an eye, as they said, or, in this instance, a life for a life. The death of Callie Evaine for the death of Marlene Thomas.

Marlene…

She was still breathing as Andy pulled the trident out of Callie and padded towards her friend to collapse on her knees beside her.

"She's dead," she whispered, salty tears trailing down her cheeks as she brushed Marlene's hair from her sweaty forehead.

"Good," Marlene managed to utter harshly before she looked at Andy with eyes that seemed so painfully young. "Is dying…pain-nful?"

Andy gritted her teeth together, trying not to let how her lower lip trembled show. "I died a very long time ago," she told her friend throatily, "and it was a suicide."

She remembered the feel of the dagger in her hand as she ripped it through her side, only to pull it out, letting the blood pool from the wound as she lay in front of her husband's funeral pyre.

But Marlene's eyes were imploring.

"No," she said, "it's like falling asleep."

Marlene smiled. "G-good."

Andy took her hand, giving it a squeeze every few seconds until Marlene's eyes fell shut and her breaths ceased.

And then Andy cried enough that she would never wish to do so again.

* * *

The island that Andy had once been chained to in her past life had grown, but she still didn't understand why Callie had brought her or Marlene there; it was still in Greece, and she'd technically been in America, the last thing she knew.

Andy leaned over Callie's corpse, searching for something, a way for her to have traveled such a great distance…Callie didn't wear much jewelry, but she was wearing a pearl ring that twisted, so it was likely to be a Portkey, a gift from Hecate, no doubt.

Andy glared at Callie's still face as she searched her pockets and removed the Ring of Gyges, which granted the wearer invisibility and had once been Callie's spoil of war on a quest.

"You don't deserve this," she told her savagely before tucking it into her own pocket and standing, moving to stride back towards Marlene.

Andy cradled her friend's head in her hands, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head and murmuring. "If I don't come back for you in two days, you will be brought to New Rome by a friend, I promise."

The friend was actually a shark named Benjamin who was usually quite perky, but he gave her his solemn promise to carry Marlene's body from the Aegean Sea to the Tiber River for proper funeral rites.

"Aeton," Andy called thickly, strapping her weapons back into place on her, " _come!"_

The Hellhound-hybrid appeared and then whined loudly, taking note of the blood she was covered in and the corpses of his two mistress' friends.

"Callie was the traitor," Andy told him, "she's the reason Marlene is dead, now I need you to take me to New Rome as fast as you can."

She couldn't think about Marlene, not now, if she did, she was going to burst into tears again. So instead she mounted Aeton's back and disappeared into shadow.

* * *

Andy caused a scene by arriving in New Rome by Hellhound and covered in blood, and Jason was the first to reach her side.

"Andy? What happened?" the concern in his eyes as he touched her shoulder gently was sweet but unneeded.

"Where's the praetor?" she demanded. "I need to see him!  _Matthew Jones!_  Get your  _ass_ down here  _now!"_

"Andy!" Jason was balking at her and so was nearly everyone in the vicinity. Praetors were a level above senators, they didn't really have the right to speak so crassly with them, but Andy was so feverish in her need to see him that she had forgotten all decorum.

Luckily, Matthew arrived rather soon after, his forehead creased in confusion. "Senator Jackson-Black—"

"You need to evacuate New Rome," Andy told him without preamble, "Tethys is sending a powerful wave to drown everyone here."

There was dead silence following her words.

"What?" Matthew said bleakly.

"Tethys!" Andy stomped her foot angrily, making the ground give a small tremble in response to her anger. "A wave to take out Camp! You need to get everyone to safety!"

"You're certain?" Matthew demanded.

"Of course I'm  _certain!"_  she snapped.

And then orders were barked out and everyone was moving, spreading the word of the evacuation to anyone who wasn't out where Andy had given the news.

"Andy—" Jason tugged on her arm. "Why are you covered in blood?"

"It's not mine," Andy said numbly. "Its Marlene's."

Jason froze.

"Callie…she killed Marlene…and I-I killed Callie," her voice shook for a few moments and then she shook herself. "Never mind, I need you to find me all the demigods with power over water, go!"

A muscle jumped in Jason's jaw. "You know that'll never work," he warned her, guessing her intent with ease.

"If we're lucky, it might," Andy countered. "Get them to meet me by the Tiber River."

And then she dashed off.

There weren't all that many children or descendents of water gods, not when compared with the children of Apollo or Mars, but any help was good help.

It total there were: Cassie, daughter of Camenae, goddess of fresh water, prophecy, and childbirth, Carmen and James, the sons of Fontus, god of wells and springs (yes, Carmen identified as male, it was a little confusing at first, but campers got used to him rather fast), Johnny, Carl, and Jessica, sons and granddaughter of Tiberinus, god of the Tiber River, Sarah and Marc, great-grandchildren of Volturnus, god of the waters, and Andrea, descendent of Juturna, goddess of fountains, wells, and springs.

"We aren't going to be able to do this," Cassie said with certainty.

"Ye of little faith!" cried Carmen, his words thick with his declaration. "We will succeed."

"I like his enthusiasm," Johnny said, nodding towards the son of Fontus.

"Besides," Sarah pointed out, "Andy's going to be doing most of the work."

"Minor details," Carmen waved her off, even as the wave grew, coming closer to shore.

Andy ignored them. "Is everyone out?" she asked Andrea who squinted out to see where New Rome had been standing previously.

"Almost," she said, "we've got a few laggers…should I give a warning?"

Andy gave her a nod before having the others spread out along the coast line.

"Incoming!" Andrea roared, having the most impressive lung capacity of those standing at the water's edge. "Get clear and evacuate!"

"This isn't going to be easy," Andy murmured to herself before raising her hands towards the wave that threatened to swallow them, and she didn't even have to look to the side in order to see that the others had done the same.

The large wave came closer and closer and Andy gritted her teeth together and pressed forward as if to push against a great force. It was like trying to push against a wall that had been weighed down by far too many pounds for Andy to push, but she wasn't about to give up.

Her feet dug into the riverfront and she could feel the strain on her body from crying to control a wave that was a gift from a titan. It was a wonder her bones hadn't yet broken, but Andy suspected it was a very near thing.

Her companions weren't doing so well at her side, but Andy couldn't focus on that. The only thing that mattered right now was the churning wave trying to drown her home.

For a few painful moments, the barricade of demigods and the wave seemed to be at an impasse, with neither side giving and inch, but then Andy gave an almighty scream that echoed and the wave fell back.

Andy felt like jelly. Her legs could barely move and her heart was beating frantically in her chest as she dropped her arms to her sides, the appendages feeling like lead. Then she went boneless, her eyes rolling back in her head, sinking through the rapidly moving surf, falling deeper and deeper, farther than the Tiber River had ever appeared to be and farther than the others would dare to go.

And the daughter of Neptune did not awaken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a kind of X-men 2-esque ending, I will admit, but don't worry, Andy isn't dead, I should probably point that out, just in case I've freaked you all out.
> 
> I killed off two of my OCs, but that was the plan when I started, so sorry! As someone guessed earlier, yes, there was a reason why a Greek made it to Camp Jupiter :)
> 
> Claimed By Death (the sequel) might take place a few weeks after this scene, I'm not really sure yet…and you'll learn more about what happened with the others early in the next book :)
> 
> I will post a short chapter update on this fic when Claimed By Death is out for you all to read.


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